Shop Till You Drop
by KB-RC23
Summary: Rick joins Kate on her day off to go shopping. What fun times will our favorite duo have? What trouble will they get into? Read to find out! Rated T. *Updated 05/19/2012* Final chapter is now up!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello dearies!**

**I know it has been a while since I've posted anything and I apologize for that. I hope you guys like this story! It will be a multiple chapter fic, so get ready! Please leave a review with your thoughts! They are always welcome!**

**(This fic takes place in September 2011. Events in early Season 4 have happened, specifically events in _Rise_.)**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/  
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><p><strong>[Chapter 1]<strong>

"Finally done," Kate sighed in relief as she set her pen down on top of a massive stack of files and various pieces of paperwork.

The precinct was completely vacant, with the exception of the detective and her ruggedly handsome partner. He sat there and played games on his phone while she finished up work. They had just made a huge breakthrough in the case that morning and by that afternoon they had a confession. And so, all that was left was to do was begin the paperwork.

Rick looked up from his phone at her words and smiled at her. "I thought you'd never finish," he complained, teasing of course. "I've been sitting here for hours bored out of my mind with nothing but Angry Birds to keep me occupied. I seriously think my IQ dropped then points."

Kate swatted him arm for that one. "Oh, hush. You didn't have to wait for me, you know? And besides, it didn't take me that long, you big baby. So stop complaining."

Rick merely gave her a look and sat there quietly with an all too familiar smirk on his face.

"We can grab some dinner if you'd like, it's only..." she glanced at her father's watch while stretching her arms out in front of her. "...ten forty-five." _Crap. _Shooting him an apologetic look, she sighed. She'd only meant to work on the paperwork for a few hours at most, but those few hours turned into about six. Once she had finished the files on their recent case, Kate thought that it would be a good idea to get any extra work done before the weekend, so she grabbed any other files and papers that were incomplete and started to work on them. And Rick, never one to complain, simply waited for her.

"Told you it took a while," he grinned. "But, I'm not going to hold this over your head because what kind of a partner would I be if I did?"

Kate rolled her eyes but couldn't hold back a smile. "A bad one?"

He leaned in closer, his lips blowing hot air into her ear. "Only bad for you," his voice was a deep and husky tone; a tone that made Kate weak at the knees. Luckily, she was sitting down or else she'd be struggling to stand up.

Taking a deep breath, she began to gather her things, needing a distraction. She finally found her voice again, "Remy's?"

Rick knew he had her as soon as the words spilled from his mouth. There was no mistake in the desire and need that gleamed in her eyes. And he knew that his were exactly the same. He loved to tease her, and her reaction was exactly what he was looking for.

"Sounds great," he responded, standing up to help Kate into her coat.

They headed down the hall to the elevator. The duo entered and rode down to the lobby in a comfortable silence. Kate unconsciously leaned in a bit closer to Rick as they walked to their favorite restaurant. Both had matching smiles placed on their lips.

Rick and Kate took their winter coats off, sitting in their regular booth in the corner when an elderly woman came up to them. Judy was her name and she was Rick and Kate's usual waitress. She smiled when she saw them.

"Hey, you two. How have y'all been? It's been quite a bit since you've stopped in. Working on a case?" Judy placed her hands on her hips and grinned.

"We're great, Judy," Kate replied, always happy to see the older woman. "We actually wrapped up a case this afternoon and we just thought we'd grab something to eat. We, uh, kind of missed dinner."

Rick cut in. "We would've been by earlier, but this one," he pointed at his partner. "Just _had_ to get all of the paperwork done before the weekend. She's too stubborn for her own good."

Judy laughed at Kate when she glared at Rick, who immediately sunk down in his seat not making eye contact with either female. "You two are something else," she commented, whipping out a small notepad and a pen from the pocket on her apron. "So, what can I get for you? Usuals?"

"That would be great," Rick smiled, now sitting properly in his seat. "Thanks."

Judy as she nodded and made her way to the back where the kitchen was located, leaving the duo by themselves. The restaurant was not busy at all, there was one other patron sitting at the counter top opposite them. It became awkward rather quickly, both sitting with unsure looks.

Rick cleared his throat, "So, any plans for the weekend?"

Kate shrugged, folding her hands and resting them on the table top. "Not really. This is the first weekend in a long time that I've had off, so I'll probably be running errands most of the day tomorrow. I'm not sure what I'll be doing on Sunday though."

"Care for some company?" He pondered, wanting to spend more time with the gorgeous detective.

She shook her head and began to play with the salt shaker. "Oh no, Castle. I'll be alright; I think I can handle grocery shopping on my own, thank you."

Rick chuckled, "I never doubted you. I just thought that it might be nice for you to have someone with you, so you're not alone."

"Mhmm," was all that came out of her mouth.

"Come on," he pleaded, sticking his bottom lip out. "I promise I'll be a good boy."

Kate bit her lip, thinking things over. A smirk found its way to her rosy lips. Leaning in, she gave him a taste of his own medicine. "What if I don't _want_ you to be a good boy?"

His eyes grew and he gulped. Her voice was so low and down right sexy as hell; it sent tingles up his spine. "I-I...uh-" he struggled for the words, unable to make coherent sentences.

Kate just laughed at his reaction. Clapping her hands together, her head fell back as a laugh escaped her mouth. "God, you're easy!"

The deer in headlights was gone and replaced by a frown. He let out a fake laugh, "Very funny, you little tease." Rick crossed his arms and looked away from Kate, moping.

"How long have you known me, Castle? Of course, I like to tease you." Kate bit her lip, trying to suppress the chuckles that were threatening to burst out of her. "I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't mess with you once in a while."

"It's not nice. And where exactly in your job description does it say that you have the right to make fun of me? I didn't know that it was part of being a homicide detective."

Kate shook her head, smiling. Rick didn't say anything else, acting sad more for show rather than actually being upset. She waited for him to continue on but he didn't. She took a deep breath, "Fine, Mr. Drama Queen. If it will make you stop moping, you can come shopping with me tomorrow."

That lit his face up. He turned to her again, a giant grin shining back at her. _"Really?"_ His eyebrows were raised and his hands were clutching the edge of the table.

"Yes, really," Kate smiled behind a laugh. "Just act like an adult, okay? I know it'll be hard, especially for you, but I really do not want to have to deal with a nine-year-old on a sugar rush."

"You have my word," he promised.

Just then Judy came back with their orders. "Here you go," she said, setting a burger in front of each of them. "Two Gourmet Burgers with a side of steak fries. And two waters."

Rick rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Mmm, smells delicious. Thanks, Judy."

The elderly woman smiled softly. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

"I think we're set," Kate answered, seeing as the writer was already stuffing his face.

Judy laughed, taping Rick on the shoulder and shaking her head. "Where are your manners?" She chided. Rick gave her a closed mouth smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Kate rolled her eyes at his actions. Judy turned to Kate, jabbing a thumb in Rick's direction. "I still don't know how you put up with him."

"Yeah, I don't know either," she said flatly. "He's," she glanced over at her partner, who had just taken a massive bite out of his burger. "S_omething_. That's for sure."

The women stared at Rick as he ate, oblivious to the fact that they were talking about him. He felt eyes on him, so he looked up to see Kate and Judy watching him with great interest. "What?" He asked with a full mouth, glancing between the two.

"Nothing," was the chorused reply.

Rick gave them each a look before shrugging his shoulders and going back to his late dinner.

"Well," Judy started. "I'll leave you two to it." She leaned down to Kate so that only she could hear. "Good luck, honey."

"Thanks," Kate whispered back. "I'll need it."

Judy smiled before retreating back into the kitchen. They were left alone once again. Kate picked up her burger and took quite a big bite, a tiny moan leaving her lips. Rick was nearly done with his burger while Kate was just starting hers; every now and then she would steal a glance at the man across from her. There was a bit of ketchup on his chin that he hadn't noticed yet. Kate smirked and reached over with her napkin, wiping his chin clean. The act was so innocent that it didn't even register in her mind what she had just done.

When she pulled back, it clicked. Her eyes grew wide in shock, and Rick had the same stunned expression. She quickly folded her napkin in her lap and rubbed the back of her neck, trying to find words. She didn't dare make eye contact with him, too embarrassed. "I-I just. Uh...you h-had a bit of ketchup and I-"

Rick leaned over and grabbed her wrist, gaining her attention. "Thank you," he smiled softly. "I can be quite messy sometimes. I think Judy was right about me and my manners."

The uncomfortable mood was definitely lightened.

Kate just grinned at him, laughing. "What manners?"

His smile got bigger. "Touché." He released his hand from her arm and took his drink, taking a sip.

That made her roll her eyes, lips curving up in a grin. Kate quickly went back to her burger, a moan spilling from her mouth every other bite. When Rick thought she wasn't looking he snatched one of her fries, only to be slapped on the hand.

_"Ow!"_ He groaned, rubbing his sore hand.

"Why are you taking my fries when you have your perfectly own right in front of you?" There was no annoyance in her tone, only amusement.

"Because..." he mumbled like a boy who had just gotten caught doing something bad.

"That's a great reason," she said sarcastically. "Man, you are such a little kid sometimes."

"Am not," he countered, inching his upper body closer to the table, and at the same time bringing his head closer to Kate's.

With a single eyebrow raised, Kate did the same as Rick and leaned in further, their noses almost touching. "Are too."

"Am not."

Kate punctuated each word slowly. "Are. Too."

"Wanna bet?" He raised an eyebrow of his own, matching her. She pursed her lips, silently answering. "Let's say we make this..._interesting_," he proposed.

"How so?" Kate asked, intrigued.

He smiled, pulling away and calling across the diner. "Hey, Judy?"

The woman came out as soon as she heard her name being called, her head sticking out of the kitchen door. "Yes, Rick? Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all," he reassured. "But can we please get two large double-chocolate shakes?"

Judy nodded, "No problem. I'll have those out in a jiffy!" And she disappeared back into the kitchen.

Kate looked at him in confusion. What was going on in that head of his? "What exactly are you planning for us to do here, Castle?"

"Just a little friendly competition between partners," he answered simply. "First one to completely finish their shake wins."

"And we're going to do this why?"

"Because its fun and I wanna race you," he put simply. "Plus, it'll prove that I'm not a little kid."

"So a race to see who can finish their shake first is going to prove that you don't act like a little kid?" She lifted a delicate eyebrow, _"Oh yeah,_ that makes perfect sense."

"Afraid you'll loose?" He tormented, his ego getting the better of him. He could tell he had her when she narrowed her eyes, nostrils flaring.

"You are _so_ on," Kate sneered, pointing a slender finger in his direction. "What exactly are we racing for?"

"How about the loser has to pay for the check? That sound fair?" Kate nodded, agreeing with the terms. "And," Rick added, "The winner gets to decided where we go shopping tomorrow."

Kate huffed out a breath of air, "Castle, I'm going grocery shopping as in food, perishable items. Not clothes shopping. And I really only go to one super market, it has everything that I need. No point in going somewhere else."

"Fine," he relented. "Let's see...um, oh! I've got it! How about whoever wins gets to decide where we go to lunch?"

"Okay so, let me get this straight. Not only are you going with me to go grocery shopping, but you're also going to be having lunch with me?"

"Yes."

Kate narrowed her eyes and bit her lip, thinking things over. After a bit, she gave him her answer. "Deal."

She stuck a hand out and he took her hand in his, shaking them. "Deal," Rick smirked.

Two minutes later, Judy was back with their shakes. The shakes had whipped cream swirled on top with a juicy cherry in the middle and chocolate chips sprinkled through out it. Chocolate flavored syrup coated the whipped cream, seeping through a bit. There were two different layers in the shake: a dark chocolate layer and a milk chocolate layer. They looked absolutely amazing.

Judy set one in front of them both, along with two straws. "Here you go. I went ahead and brought the check, too," she added, setting that down as well. "Take your time, there's no rush."

"Thank you, Judy," the detective and writer thanked simultaneously.

The older woman put her hands together, "It's so cute when you two do that!"

They blushed a bit at her comment, their faces turning pink. Once again they chorused, "Thanks."

"Okay, just let me know if you guys need anything. You know where to find me." And she left, grinning happily to herself.

Rick turned his attention back to Kate. "So, Beckett. You ready to loose?"

She glared at him; a confident, smug grin on her face. "I'm not the one who should be worried about losing. I'm gonna kick your ass so hard, Writer Boy!"

He let out a cackle. "Smack talk will get you nowhere, my lovely Detective."

"We'll see about that." The smug grin still plastered on her lips. "Rules?"

The writer raised a single digit. "First and only rule: in order to be considered the winner, your cup must be completely empty of all its contents. This includes the shake itself, the cherry, the chocolate chips, and the whipped cream."

Kate nodded in understanding. It seemed easy enough. "Okay, let's get this started," she rubbed her hands together before bringing her shake closer to the edge of the table, putting it in easy reach. She took the straw and put it in her cup, lining it up with her mouth.

Rick did the same. "On the count of three?" Kate nodded, getting in a ready position.

"One..."

"Two..."

"_Three!"_

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><p><strong>There you have it, folks! :) <strong>

**Hope y'all liked it! Please leave a review! Thanks for reading! Until next time!  
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**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**_  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Hello!  
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**Hope you guys are enjoying this story so far! I know that I am having a blast writing this! Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments!  
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**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/  
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><p><strong>[Chapter 2]<strong>

_"Done!"_ Kate cheered, raising both hands in the air in victory.

Rick had been trailing Kate the entire race, only to be crushed in the end. He crossed his arms, "I want a rematch."

"Oh, suck it up, Castle!" Kate smirked. "No need to be a sore loser!"

"But you _cheated_!" He exasperated.

"Castle, your first and only rule was that in order to be deemed the winner, your glass must be emptied of all its contents." Rick went to day something but Kate raised a hand stopping him. She continued, "Not once did you say how either of us were supposed to do it, just as long as it gone done. So, therefore, I did not cheat."

Rick took in her words, his mind relishing everything that he had said. And Kate knew when he realized that she was in fact right; his face turned from pure annoyance to defeat in seconds.

"I won fair and square," she gloated, crossing her arms proudly over her chest.

"I call for a rematch," he grumbled, twirling his straw in the cup.

"Sorry. No rematch."

"It's not fair though!" He wined, sounding like a bratty kid. "As soon as the race started, I could feel your foot slowly moving up my shin."

"So?"

"_So_, it was cruel. And you didn't stop there. No, you just had to keep going up, taunting me and making loose my focus." At my focus he raised a hand and pointed at his eyes with his fingers.

"I'm surprised. I thought you knew me better than that," Kate said. "If I want something, like I desperately want it, then I will do absolutely _anything_ to make sure that I get it. And if that means cheating, then so be it."

Rick lunged forward a bit, his pointer finger right in front of Kate's face. "So you _are _a cheater!"

"I-" she began.

He cut her off before she even started. "Oh no, Katherine Beckett! You can't take that back!" He shook his head, a tiny chuckle escaping. "You just confessed to being a cheater! I win by default!" He then began to do a happy dance in his seat. He put his hands together in the form of fists and moved them in a horizontal, circular motion. He sang, "Kate Beckett is a loser and I'm a winner," over and over again as he went on with his victory dance.

Judy decided to grace the duo with her presence at that particular moment. "Um? What's going on over here?"

The detective looked up at the waitress, "He's gloating because he said that I cheated in a little competition we just had."

Judy looked at the empty cups on the table. "With the shakes?"

"Mmhmm," Kate hummed in reply.

"Huh," she mumbled. "I take it that this whole thing was Rick's idea?"

"Yep."

Rick jumped in on their conversation. "Kate's being crabby because she lost. She's a sneaky little cheater."

"Am not," Kate smirked, leaning over the table and becoming closer to him once again.

Rick halted his dancing and mimicked her actions. "Are too."

"I am n-"

"Okay, we are not starting that again!" He huffed.

Judy stood silently, merely watching as the two argued in front of her. They acted like an old married couple and Judy could only hope that the two of them would get together soon. They were so in love with each other but they refused to do anything about it. And that made the older woman's heart ache a bit. For two smart and intelligent people, such as themselves, they sure were stupid when it came to feelings.

So she spoke up, interrupting the tiny fight. "You two act like an old married couple, I swear." They felt heat rise to their cheeks. Rick gave Kate a look and she returned it. They smiled at one another. "Now, I just came over here to collect your plates," Judy went on.

"Oh, here," Kate moved to stack up all of the dishes off the table top. She handed them up to the waitress. "There you go."

"Thank you, dear," Judy thanked, arms full of plates and cups. "Don't you two start bickering again once I leave."

"We won't," Rick laughed, winking at his partner, who laughed right along with him.

Judy lingered a bit, glancing at her two favorite customers with a curve if her lips. She retreated back to the kitchen, giving them some more alone time.

Kate stared at Rick before asking, "Alright, Castle, where are we going to lunch?"

He looked shocked. "Yo-you're actually letting me pick? Bbut I thought that-"

"You won the competition, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but I was only messing with you," he said solemnly. "We can go wherever you want, Beckett."

Kate shook her head no. "Nope. I want you to decide."

"I- uh, are you sure?"

He had only meant to tease her for fun. "I'm sure. It was a silly little race, and I'm sure the place you pick will be a lot better than the one I would've picked."

Rick laughed at that, feeling better about the whole situation. Kate continued, "No need to get all caught up in it, alright?"

It took him a minute to respond. "Y-yeah, I guess you're right." He stuck a hand out, "No hard feelings?"

She couldn't help but smile at him. And this smile wasn't just any smile; this smile was the special one that she reserved just for him and him alone. Rick's heart pounded through his chest; she was absolutely extraordinary.

Kate shook his outstretched hand. "No hard feelings," she solidified.

Rick released his grip and pulled out his wallet from his back jean pocket. Placing the amount due plus a generous tip on the table, he stood up.

"Castle, I thought that the loser had to pay for the bill?"

"Maybe I just want to be a gentleman," he shrugged, putting his coat on.

Kate knew that there was no point in arguing with him. He would still end up paying no matter what the results were; it was the stubbornness in him. A quality that she didn't mind so much as one would think. She got up and began to put her jacket on but Rick stopped her, assisting her.

"Being chivalrous tonight, aren't we?" She mused.

Rick didn't say anything he just smiled, holding out his arm for her to take. Kate took it with a smile. "Good night, Judy!" He called to the back. "Thank you for everything!"

She rushed out of the kitchen. "Night, you two! Thanks for stopping in!" Judy waved at them as they stepped outside.

"Thank you for dinner," Kate stated as they walked out of the small diner. "And thank you for waiting so long before, I know that it wasn't fair of me to keep you so late."

"Kate, it's okay. Really," Rick said, easing her concerns. "Don't worry about it. Know that I'll always wait for you, no matter what."

She couldn't help it, so she got up on her toes and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Thanks, Rick," she whispered, her bottom lip finding it's way between her teeth.

He grinned like no other. His smile stretched all the way up to eyes, creating small crinkles on the skin. He gave her upper arm a small squeeze. "Always."

A blush fell onto her cheeks, and she tucked her chin farther into her coat, trying to conceal the redness of her face. Of course, Rick noticed right away that she was blushing, but he was too kind enough not to day anything. They meandered down the sidewalk in silence, content with being together.

"Can I walk you home?" He offered, pulling Kate out of her daze.

She looked up at him smiling, "I'd like that."

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><p>As soon as Kate stepped out of her bathroom after taking a nice, long bubble bath, her phone beeped signaling a text message. She grabbed her phone off her bed from when she carelessly threw her things all over. She couldn't help but smile at the text when she opened it.<p>

_Had an amazing time with you tonight! ;) I'll see you tomorrow for our wonderful day of shopping! I'll be there at ten o'clock on the dot_

Kate moseyed over to her dresser, slipping out of the bathrobe and into some leggings and an extra large t-shirt, and plopped down on her bed with a small thump as she began to form a reply to Rick's text.

_I did, too! :) & it'll be interesting, that's for sure. & I'll see you then. Be ready to shop til you drop! Night, Castle_

Right after she sent off her message, she got an immediate reply back.

_Can't wait. Good night and sweet dreams, Detective :)_

Kate tossed her phone to her side and laid flat on her bed, a huge, happy smile plastered on her face. She couldn't believe that Rick had convinced her to let him join her to go shopping tomorrow, and it was just for food and other necessitates. The thought of the race brought a smile to her lips, he was just too easy. Kate went to bed looking forward to the day to come, excited about spending it with the writer.

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><p>Rick set his phone down on his dresser after reading Kate's text. He was still amazed that the stubborn detective had agreed to let him join her to do errands tomorrow. But what amazed him the most was that she went along with the silly race with the shakes. It was a side of her that he could easily get used to. It was sexy yet absolutely adorable, and Rick couldn't get enough. He secretly hoped that she'd be like that when they go grocery shopping. He was definitely going to be sleeping with a smile on his face.<p>

Tomorrow was going to be a day filled with fun, food, and a little bit of flirting.

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><p><strong>There ya go! :) <strong>

**Please leave a review with your thoughts! Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello there everyone! :) **

**I hope that you guys are enjoying this! Your reviews and comments are always welcomed!**

**Disclaimer: _Castle _is not mine :/  
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><p><strong>[Chapter 3]<strong>

Kate was just finishing her makeup when a knock was heard on her front door. Glancing down at the watch on her wrist, she smiled inwardly. He was right on time. She finished the last minute details of her makeup and headed for the door, but not before double checking her reflection one last time.

"Good morning," Rick greeted once the door had been opened.

Kate took in his appearance. Rick's hair was wet still from showering, a few pieces fell onto his forehead. A huge grin made its home on his lips, creating little dimples on his cheeks. His ocean-colored eyes were full of mischief and excitement. He had on a light tan cargo jacket with a black long-sleeve v-neck shirt underneath. The shirt really showed off his strong and broad chest; Kate's eyes lingered there for a moment before moving down. His dark jeans were fitted him rather nicely, especially in his upper thighs. On bottom, Rick wore simple black leather shoes. He looked casual and comfortable, but to Kate it was also rather...sexy.

She slumped against the door, her hip leaning against the side. "Morning, Castle."

Rick couldn't help but look her up and down as well. Her attire was so much more relaxed than what she wears for work. Her hair was pulled into a simple braid that hung her right side; a few curly tendrils of hair had become loose. Those brown-green eyes he loved were sparkling with happiness. Her makeup was simple yet elegant, nothing over the top. She had on a black blazer, which she'd left unbuttoned, with a simple navy shirt underneath it. The skinny jeans she had on complemented her gorgeous figure, displaying her curves. And to finish, she had on a worn but loved pair of Chuck Taylor's, making her a tad shorter than him. Rick smiled, absolutely loving this laid-back look she had going on. It was very attractive, very sexy.

"Sleep well?" He asked as he entered the apartment, moving in right past her.

Closing the door, she answered with a shrug, "Yeah, not too bad."

He clapped his hands, "Great! You ready to go?"

"Just about. Let me go grab my purse and then we can head out, okay?" Kate was already strutting toward her bedroom as the words left her mouth.

"Okay. Hey, you mind if I make us some coffee?" He called after her. "I forgot to grab some on my way over here."

"Help yourself!" She yelled back.

Rick grinned and went to the kitchen, preparing coffee for each of them. His back was turned when Kate came out, her purse draped over her left shoulder. She stopped when she found him looking so very much at home in her tiny kitchen. It was hard for her not to stop and watch his every move, it was mesmerizing.

She cleared her throat, needing to gain focus. "Ready?"

He whipped his head around, "Almost." Closing the lids securely on the travel mugs, he walked over to her. "Here you are, freshly brewed."

"Thank you." Kate took the cup gratefully, taking a careful sip not wanting to burn her tongue.

"Shall we?" He motioned for the door with a wave of a hand.

"We shall," she agreed with a grin. She started for the door with Rick not far behind. He reached the door handle before her, letting her go before him. She gave him a quick nod of the head in thanks and headed for the elevator.

Rick gazed at her moving form, unable to look anywhere else. Her hips swayed back and forth in a smooth rhythm, causing him to stare. How could he not? Her skinny jeans were so, well, skinny. And they really did fit her well. The curves of her backside were-

"Castle? You coming?"

Rick shook his head, trying to focus. He hastily closed the door and jogged to Kate, who had pressed the call button and was already stepping inside the elevator. "Sorry," he mumbled, pressing the button for the main level.

Kate gave him a funny look before turning her attention to the space in front of her. The two simply stood there waiting for the elevator to touch down. Their hands held onto the travel mugs tightly, the warmth that radiates off was soothing. Kate lived on the fifth floor so it took a while to get down but eventually, the duo made it to the lobby. She was out first, heading for the front doors.

Rick stayed back a bit, allowing him a generous view of her ass. He just smiled to himself as they left the building.

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><p>"What's first on the list?" Rick asked as he pushed a shopping cart over to Kate. He surveyed the shopping center with a childlike giddiness to him. The market was not gigantic but it wasn't minuscule either. The sound of cash registers, whiny children, and chatty employees filled the entire space. There were many aisles stocked with various amounts of food and other little goodies.<p>

Pulling out a crinkled piece of paper out of her purse, she replied, "Uh, milk and eggs."

Rick swayed on his feet, his hands griping the cart to help him balance. "Which is where?" He asked, totally confused as to where to even start.

Rolling her eyes, she gave him a tug on his sleeve. "Follow me."

She led the way, Rick followed her, careful not to run into her with the shopping cart. They reached aisle six which was where all of the cold products were located, like yogurt, milk, eggs, cheese, and other goods. Kate opened the small refrigerator door and grabbed a gallon of milk, placing it in the cart. Rick was coming back with a carton of a dozen eggs. He'd gone down a little ways on the aisle to where the eggs and cheese were located. He set it down, grabbing the cart again.

"What's next on the list?" He wondered, still smiling at how domestic they were being.

Kate returned the smile, thinking the same exact thing. "Let's see," she scanned the list. "Bacon, pancake mix, and some toiletries."

He nodded and began to turn left out of the aisle. A tug on the back of his jacket made him stop in his tracks. He turned at Kate with a raised eyebrow and a confused expression. She smirked and silently pointed to her right, indicating where to go. He gave a sheepish grin and headed in the right direction.

She chuckled and shook her head. Kate stayed behind Rick this time; it was her turn to enjoy the view. She grinned as he stepped up on the cart and began riding it like a scooter. It was only when he almost ran into an elderly couple that it became an incredibly stupid thing to do. She ran to catch up with him, her purse swinging back and forth against her side. Kate tugged on his middle to get him to stop; he plopped down on both feet.

"Castle, you're gonna hurt someone," she chided, releasing her grip and crossing her arms. "It's dangerous."

"I'm fine! Stop worrying yourself, Beckett. Besides, I have complete control."

Just as the words were uttered, with his head cocked toward Kate, he ran into a large display of stacked cereal boxes. Boxes were scattered everywhere. Rick shut his eyes closed as soon as the boxes fell. Kate had a hand raised to cover her eyes, not wanting to see what a disaster it all was.

"Oops..." he breathed.

Kate uncovered her eyes to find him on the floor, cleaning up the mess. One of the boxes became open in the crash and tons of pieces of cereal were scattered all over the tile floors. He was muttering apologizes while picking it all up. Kate sighed and began to assist him, kneeling down and scraping up cereal. Other shoppers merely watched as they passed by, unwilling to help in any way. The whole situation was embarrassing for both the writer and detective. But it was also quite amusing.

The detective looked up to find Rick suppressing a laugh that was threatening to burst from inside him. She chuckled lightly, "Told you it was dangerous."

He gave her a Cheshire cat type of grin. "Yeah, yeah. But it was _so_ worth it! You've seriously got to try it!"

"Ooh, no. I think I'll have to pass," she sighed, standing up. "Wouldn't want to break anything."

Rick laughed, standing up as well. They placed the fallen out cereal into the box it all came from, and did their best to stack it all back to its original state but it was just a huge mess. It looked more like a Picasso than a Da Vinci.

Kate scratched her head. "Sh-should we tell someone?"

"Nah. I think it'll be okay," he shrugged. "Now, let's go before we get in trouble!" He grabbed her hand pulling her away from the scene of the crime. Rick yanked on the shopping cart as Kate giggled. Yes, she _giggled._

She quickly left with him, rushing down the aisle trying to get as far away as possible. Once they were clear of the mess, they stopped to catch their breath. "Castle, are you sure we shouldn't tell someone?"

Before he could answer, the loud speakers came on. "_Attention, clean up on aisle eight. I repeat, clean up on aisle eight."_

Kate and Rick stared at each other, bursting with fits of laughter. Kate clutched her side, gasping for air while Rick wiped an eye, crying from laughing so hard. People walking by gave them strange looks, wondering why two grown adults were acting like children.

"I-I think they k-know," Rick stammered, attempting to get air back in his lungs.

Kate nodded, breathing deeply. Once she had calmed down, she smirked, "Who knew that grocery shopping with you could be so eventful."

"Yeah. Well..." he shrugged, flashing that boyish grin of his that made all the ladies swoon.

"Alright, let's go, Evel Knievel."

"Funny," he smirked.

Kate just winked at him as she grabbed the cart and started to head down the aisle, browsing for the next item on her list. She didn't trust him with the cart so she took the liberty of being in control of it herself. Although, his offer earlier was _very_ tempting.

_No,_ she couldn't ride it. She was an adult, a law abiding citizen of New York City. Hell, she was a police officer! No, _no_...she won't do it. She won't. Kate took in a deep breath, trying to suppress the urges of riding the shopping cart.

She glanced back to find Rick slowly trailing behind as he read some interesting labels as he walked down the aisle. That made her smile, he was such a child sometimes but he made things fun for her, less stressful. She turned back around and kept on walking.

Should she do it?

The Detective Kate Beckett side of her was screaming no. But the Kate Beckett side of her was yelling yes.

Kate bit her lip and made a decision.

* * *

><p><strong>Whoo!<strong>

**Please leave a review with your thoughts! Hope y'all liked it! And I promise that we'll be getting to the lunch date real soon! Until next time!  
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	4. Chapter 4

**Hello!**

**Your reviews and comments are very encouraging! Thank you so very much! And please keep them coming! as a writer, it makes me happy that you guys like my work! I hope that this chapter makes you guys smile :) I know I sure did writing it!  
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**Disclaimer: _Castle _is not mine :/  
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* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 4]<strong>

"I can not believe you did that!" Rick yelped, his voice full of shock and astonishment.

Kate went scarlet, ducking her head as she waited in line for the cash register. After Rick had made such a mess taking his little joy ride earlier, she decided to have one of her own even though she blatantly told him not to do it because it was dangerous. Luckily, she didn't get caught or break anything.

"Can we please not talk about it?" She hissed, taking a step forward in line.

"But you were _flying_!" He shrieked, doing a waving motion with his hand. "It was incredible!"

Kate cocked her head over her shoulder, giving Rick daggers. "Castle, shut up!"

He shut up immediately, making a zipping motion on his lips with his fingers. But he couldn't contain the huge grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth. He made a fist and bit on it, trying to keep himself from bursting of joy. She had really been hauling down the isles, easily maneuvering the cart around people and other obstacles.

Kate stepped forward and began to take all of the items out of the shopping cart, placing them on the conveyor belt. She glanced over at the writer, he was in the process of drooling over all the snacks and goodies that occupied the stands by the cashiers. Her hell on wheels stunt momentarily forgotten. "You gonna help or what?" She mused.

Rick looked up at her, then back at the candy, and then back to her. He pointed at a large chocolate bar, "Can I have this?"

Kate raised an eyebrow at him. Was he seriously asking for her permission to buy a candy bar? He stuck out his lip and pouted. Guess he was.

"Uh, sure?" Was her reply.

He grinned, snatching the candy bar off the rack and setting it down with the other items they were getting. He gave her a toothy grin, "Thank you."

Kate laughed, tucking a loose tendril behind her ear. "It's just a chocolate bar, nothing that I can't handle."

The cashier quickly scanned all of Kate's things, carelessly tossing them into bags. It was a young teenage boy with quite the attitude; he really seemed like he'd rather be anywhere else but here. The kid clicked a button and let out a bored sigh, "That'll be thirty-seven, twenty-one."

Kate took out her wallet and handed him a credit card, which he rapidly swiped and handed right back without a second look. Rick slipped over to the bags and began to place them into the cart. The teenager set down a receipt and a pen and waited impatiently. She signed the sheet of paper and gave a small smile, "Have a nice day."

The teenager ignored her, already moving onto the next customer.

"Lovely kid," Rick scoffed, pushing the cart.

"Tell me about it," she agreed as they headed out of the market to the parking lot. She put her card in her wallet, placing the wallet back in her purse.

"I don't think he was a very happy child growing up. Poor boy," Rick stated. He yanked his keys out of his pocket and clicked on the unlock button. They proceeded to put the bags in the trunk of the fire red Ferrari.

"So, where are we going to lunch?" Kate asked as she got into the passenger seat, placing her seat belt on.

Rick hopped in on his side and started the vehicle. "Oh, that's a surprise," he answered, getting his seat belt hooked in.

"You know I don't like surprises, Castle. So, just tell me where we're going."

He shook his head, eyes on the road. "No can do. It's a secret."

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, thinking of all the possible places he would drag her to. She huffed out air and sat quietly in her seat; her mind was running a thousand miles a minute.

He peered over at the detective. "You're so cute when you're flustered."

Kate turned. "Where are you taking me?" She purposefully ignored his remark and went right down to it.

"I'm sorry but I can't tell you. It'll ruin it. Don't you trust me?" She raised an eyebrow, giving him an are-you-kidding-me-look. He scrunched down in his seat. Rick mumbled a, "Guess not", while his eyes went back to the crowded street ahead of them.

* * *

><p>He maneuvered the high powered vehicle with ease. About fifteen minutes later he pulled up to their destination. Parking the Ferrari next to the curb, he turned off the engine and took out his keys. Kate looked up at a huge sign that read, <em>The Jolly Roger<em>, with a black flag with a skull and crossbones swinging in the breeze beside it. The whole outside of the restaurant was designed like the bow of a pirate ship.

Kate's jaw dropped as she unbuckled her seat belt. She looked over to a grinning Rick.

His eyes were wide in excitement. He bit his lip, "Well?"

"We're actually eating _here_?" She asked, an unsure expression finding its way upon her features. "A Pirate restaurant? Isn't this a place for little kids and their fourth birthday parties?"

"Just go with it. It'll be fun! Now, let's go!" He cheered, hastily making his way out of the Ferrari and zooming up to the sidewalk.

Kate timidly stepped out of the car and joined him on the sidewalk. Rick was bouncing on his toes, becoming rather impatient. She braced herself for the craziness that was about to happen. They walked up to the entrance only to be stopped by two swashbuckling pirates.

One was a bit taller and thinner than the other. He had a red bandanna wrapped over his head and he was missing a tooth. His shirt was a white button down that was covered by a black vest. The pirate's pants were a brown-black material with patches all over. The stout man had on a green bandanna accompanied by an eye patch over his left eye and a gold loop earring dangling from his right ear. His blue shirt was far too small for a man of his size, and so it barely covered his big belly. His pants matched his partner's.

"Ahoy, mateys," the thin pirate greeted with a wave of his plastic sword; his voice squeaky. "Do you dare venture onto _The Jolly Roger_? Home of the infamous pirate of the seas, Captain James Hook."

Rick was grinning from ear to ear while Kate was staring at the men like they had three heads.

The other pirate spoke up, his voice much rougher. "It be a dangerous journey ye be takin' should ye accept. Are ye willin' to join our crew?" He poked the writer gently in the stomach with his sword.

Rick nodded, acting like that nine year old in a sugar rush. He glanced over to Kate with a smile, he was way too excited about this.

The bigger pirate moved closer to Kate. "What about you, darlin'? Are you willin' to climb aboard _The Jolly Roger_?" His breath reeked, Kate gagged a bit as she took a step back.

She sighed, there was no way she was getting out of this one. "Yes," she forced out.

The two pirates cheered and with a tilt of their swords toward the entrance, they said simultaneously, "Welcome aboard."

Rick walked in with a bounce in his step. As soon as they passed through the large wooden doors they stopped in their tracks. The entire restaurant was a madhouse. The two stood higher up on a platform, or rather, an upper deck. Children were screaming and running around below while their stressed and worn out parents chased after them. The smell of sweaty children and food hung in the air.

"This is so cool," Rick mumbled to himself as he leaned against a railing near a staircase that led downstairs.

Kate chuckled at him, she couldn't help it. As annoyed as she was being at this cheesy restaurant, she was happy to be here with her partner. And who knows? Maybe this place could actually be...fun.

A young woman with curly blonde hair came over to them. Her attire was simple; a large black tricorn hat sat on top of her head with a massive white feather sticking out. She wore a white silk shirt with puffy sleeves and a small black vest that hugged her middle. A black skirt fell just below her knees, ending at the top her tall boots.

"Welcome aboard _The Jolly Roger_," she greeted in a soft tone. "How many?"

Kate answered, "Two, please."

The young woman smiled, grabbing two menus. "Right this way. And watch your step."

The three headed down the stairs and arrived on the main level. Tables and booths were scattered to the left of the area. And an arcade with various games sat on the right. Kate looked up to see a fish net hanging above the venue; starfish and other sea creatures were tangled in it. She rolled her eyes at the cheesiness of this place. It was definitely intended for little kids. (And one ruggedly handsome writer.)

Kate dodged children as they ran past, a few of them had paper pirate hats on and balloon shaped to look like swords. They were chasing each other calling out pirate lingo, "Arrg, matey" and "Give me your booty". She grinned as she watched them play.

The blonde woman led them to a booth made for two and it, of course, was right next to the arcade. Rick took a seat and Kate sat opposite him. There were two paper pirate hats laying on the table for them. Rick immediately took one, unfolded it, and placed it proudly on top of his head.

The young woman stifled a laugh and passed them the menus. "Your waiter will be Jack, he'll be along shortly. I hope you folks enjoy your ride on _The Jolly Roger_." And with that she was gone, leaving them alone.

Rick folded his hands and rested them on the table, which was shaped like a steering wheel found on a ship. Kate looked at him. "What?" She asked seeing his expression.

He nodded to the other hat. "Aren't you gonna put it on?"

"Why should I?"

He gasped. "Because it's part of the experience! Come _on_, Beckett! For me. Please..."

"No, Castle."

He gave her his best puppy dog look. "Don't make me beg."

"I'd like to see that actually," she remarked with a smirk.

_"Beckett,"_ he whined, his tone pleading. "Pretty please with a cherry on top."

She sighed and wordlessly grabbed the hat, placing it on top of her head with a huff. "Happy?"

He lit up. "Very."

Kate tore her gaze away from him and to the rambunctious children running a muck. The entire staff had the appearance of pirates, some stranger than others. One even had a wooden leg and a stuffed parrot perched on a shoulder.

A few minutes later, a teenage boy appeared. His attire was rather humorous. He was a spitting image of Captain Jack Sparrow from the _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movies. He had the little beard and everything.

He placed coasters on the table. "Name's Jack, I'll be your waiter for today. Can I start you folks off with some drinks?" His voice was nothing like Johnny Depp's but his costume definitely made up for it.

Kate picked up the menu that looked like a lame version of a treasure map and found the area with all of the beverages. Rick was doing the same. He spoke up first. "I'll have the Captain's Ale. That's a soft drink, right?"

"Yes, it is," Jack smiled and wrote Rick's order down and turned to Kate. "And for you?"

"Uh, I'll just have a water. Thanks."

Jack wrote it all down. "Now, are you guys ready to order? Or would you like a few minutes to decide?"

"Can you give us a few minutes?" Kate asked nicely, a small grin tugging on her lips.

Jack smiled. "Not a problem," he placed his hands behind his back, clasping them together. "I'll be back. Take your time." And he left the duo so they could make their choices.

Rick stared at the waiter as he left and then whipped around to Kate. "Jack Sparrow is our waiter! That's _so _cool!" He exclaimed.

Kate smirked. "Isn't it _Captain _Jack Sparrow?"

His smile grew. "That is so hot that you know that!" She gave him a look and he shut up. Kate smiled at her power over him, it was exhilarating. "What will you be getting?" Rick questioned over his menu after some minutes of silence.

"I'm not sure." Kate looked over the different choices she had to pick from, not coming to a decision.

"I was thinking about getting either the Buccaneer Burger or the Caribbean Chicken Sandwich..."

"Which are what exactly?" She wondered, chuckling at the ridiculous food names.

Rick read the descriptions. "The Buccaneer Burger: a half pound fresh Angus beef patty with lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and/or tomatoes." Kate listened as he went on. "The Caribbean Chicken Sandwich: a fried chicken breast with grilled pineapple, cilantro, crisp bacon and/or Monterrey jack cheese with our heat and sweet Caribbean sauce."

"Hmm," she hummed. "They both sound really good...surprisingly." A second later she brightened up, "Ooh, they have pizza!"

"Would you like to split it?" he asked, folding the menu. "Their pizzas here look huge," he indicated to a table not too far from theirs where a five year old was having a birthday party. A large pizza sat on the table.

Kate followed his finger and saw the pizza; she folded her menu closed. Kate nodded. "Sounds good," she smiled. "Can we get the margarita pizza?"

"Of course. We can get whatever your little heart desires," Rick answered.

Captain Jack Sparrow came back a minute later with their drink orders. He set them down in front of their respective owners. "You guys ready? Or do you need more time?"

Rick nodded and smiled, "We're ready, Captain." The waiter chuckled, whipping out a notepad and pen. "We're actually going to split a large margarita pizza."

"Sounds good," Jack said, taking the menus off their hands. "I'll have that pizza out for you soon. Is there anything else I can get you?"

Before Rick could say something childish and stupid, Kate beat him to it. She kicked him hard in the shin for good measure. "I think we're good. Thank you."

Jack gave a nod in understanding and walked away smiling at them. To him, Rick and Kate were such a cute couple, if only he knew that they weren't together- _together._

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><p><strong>There ya go, mateys! :)<strong>

**I made up the restaurant, but I really wonder if there actually is one somewhere like _The Jolly Roger. M_an, that would be so freaking cool! I'd probably be all giddy and excited like Rick. Anyways, p****lease leave a review! Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello! :) **

**Thank you all so very very much for all of your reviews and comments! I am very glad that you guys are enjoying this story so far! pPlease keep those reviews coming! :) This chapter is dedicated to my friend, _castlefreak005_. Thank you so much for your ideas for this chapter and the next! It really means a lot!**

**Disclaimer: _Castle _is not mine :/**

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><p><strong>[Chapter 5]<strong>

"Boy, that was delicious!" Rick moaned, wiping his mouth clean with a napkin.

A large silver plate where the pizza once laid was completely empty, a few crumbs here and there.

Kate nodded. "It was pretty good, wasn't it?"

"It was fantastic!"

Their waiter, Jack, trudged over to their table, a satisfied look on his face. "How was your lunch? From the expressions you both have I take you enjoyed it."

Rick nodded. "We did. Thank you."

"Let me clear this for you," he grabbed their plates off the table. "You two interested in dessert? We have a delicious Buried Treasure cheesecake. It's very popular."

"What is it?" Kate wondered. The names for the food not very specific as to what they actually were, although they were quite clever.

"It's a chocolate flavored cheesecake with whipped cream in the middle, crunched up graham crackers on top for the sand, and a_ x_ to mark the spot. The _x_ is just cherry flavored syrup."

Rick looked at Kate with a raised eyebrow, silently asking her what she thought. She shrugged, "We'll get the cheesecake."

"Great!" Jack smiled. "I'll be right back!"

Kate couldn't help herself, maybe it was the whole pirate thing getting to her head, but she called out, "Thank you, Captain Sparrow!"

The waiter turned, took off his tricorn hat and bowed in acknowledgement. He smiled politely back at the duo, who were both grinning like idiots.

Rick glanced over and stared at the woman across from him. She was really putting effort into this and it made him jump for joy on the inside. He absolutely loved seeing the childish side of her, it was refreshing. Don't get him wrong he loved both the Detective side and the laid back side of her, but the relaxed Kate was rather incredible.

Kate caught him staring at her. She fixed her crooked pirate hat and asked, "What? What are you staring at?"

"You."

That made her blush like no other. "Oh."

"You're...perfect. Absolutely perfect, Kate."

Kate lowered her head and bit her lip, looking up under her long lashes she smiled shyly at him. "Thank you, Rick," she whispered.

He returned the smile, butterflies flying around in his stomach. She looked gorgeous when she was embarrassed. Her once semi-neat braid had more loose tendrils spilling out and her paper hat had gone crooked again.

Kate looked up at the incredible man in front of her. How had she gotten so lucky to have him in her life? Sure, he was extremely childish and immature at times. Especially today with the shopping cart and the obnoxious restaurant, but he was entirely too sweet and caring for his own good. She smiled as she thought back to the craziness of this morning, but she wouldn't have traded any of it for the world. And she was positive there was more craziness in store for her.

The two locked eyes, never straying off. His blue orbs met her green ones, both mesmerized by the other. A couple screaming children zoomed passed their table and neither paid it any attention, too lost. It wasn't until a certain pirate with impeccable timing returned with an enticing slice of cheesecake that they were forced to look away.

He gave them an apologetic look. "I'm sorry to interrupt but, uh, here is your Buried Treasure cheesecake."

Rick and Kate gave a nervous chuckle, both trying to figure out what had just happened. They avoided each other's eyes, only glancing at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. Kate met Rick's eyes by accident and she could only give him a small smile, which he quickly returned.

"I hope you guys enjoy it! I'll be right back with your check. Feel free to take your time," Jack stated before walking away.

Kate cleared her throat, a hint of pinkness remained on her cheeks. "This looks good."

Rick just nodded, still trying to process everything. Kate handed him a fork and they dug in, a small moan escaping from their lips. The cheesecake was delicious! The two ate in silence, both absorbed in the yummy-deliciousness that was the cheesecake.

Jack came back with their check, setting it on the table. "Here you go, folks. I hope you enjoyed your stay on _The Jolly Roger_. It was a pleasure serving you. Hope you have a great rest of your day."

Kate and Rick had each taken a bite of the cake at that moment, neither being able to speak. They gave him a closed mouth smile in acknowledgement. He merely nodded and left them alone once again.

Rick swallowed first, gasping for a breath of air. "This cheesecake is amazing!" He complimented, going in for another piece. Kate hummed in agreement, still chewing on her bite.

Soon, the plate was empty, except for maybe a few crumbs here and there. Kate groaned, full. "I don't know about you, but I am stuffed."

Rick patted him stomach. "Me, too." He reached in his back pocket and fetched out his wallet, placing the amount due and a generous tip in the small folder with the check that Jack had brought over.

"Castle, let me pay for my half," she said, getting her purse and wallet out.

He wouldn't accept it though. "Nope, this is my treat. I brought you here, I'm paying for it."

"Just take the money," Kate argued, sticking out her half in bills.

"No. Seriously, this is my treat, okay? I want to do this."

Kate was hesitant. "A-are you positive? At least let me pay for my-"

"Kate." He gave her a look and she stopped fighting, placing her money back into her wallet. "It's not a big deal, really." he gave her reassuring smile, letting her know that he didn't mind buying her lunch and that he was happy that she agreed to allowing him to accompany her in the first place.

She rolled her eyes but chuckled, reaching over the table and lightly smacking him in the arm. "That's for being such a gentleman," she joked.

"So," he began, "Want to hit the arcade?"

* * *

><p>"Come on, you big baby. <em>Go!<em>" Kate complained as she stood by watching her partner shake in apprehension as he slowly took one step at a time.

Kate and Rick had moseyed around the arcade that the restaurant had for a good five to ten minutes before Rick eagerly saw something that he just had to do. It was a giant stern with a staircase that led up to a deck. A single plank of wood was hanging off the side, and beneath it was a sea of multicolored, plastic balls. Rick practically ran up the stairs when he saw it and now he was debating whether or not he should do it at all.

She shook her head, "Just jump, Castle! A four-year-old could do this!"

"Beckett, it's_ high_!"

"It is _not_! Now jump! People are waiting!"

He rapidly shook his head, not wanting to do it. Kate groaned and snuck up on him, balancing on the board. Lifting two hands, Kate pushed Rick's back which gave him enough momentum to fall off. Kate smiled but then she felt a hand yanked on her wrist.

This couldn't end well.

They went tumbling down into the ball pit, balls splaying out around them. Kate landed directly on top of Rick, his back breaking her fall. Unfortunately for Rick, he landed flat on his stomach. He let out a strangled groan when she pressed on his back to hoist herself up, but she was unable to maintain her balance and ended up falling next to him. This time she was laying on her back.

Rick turned over on his back and cocked his head in Kate's direction. He had the biggest smile on. "That. Was. _Awesome!_"

She shot him a confused look. "I thought you were scared of this...you actually _liked_ it?"

He sat up, grinning like a madman. "I did! Can we please go again?" He eagerly asked.

Kate laughed at him before sitting up herself. She innocently picked up a plastic ball and fiddled with it before chucking it at Rick and making a run for it. "Last one to the top is a stinky old pirate!"

Rick got a feral look in his eyes. Kate was scampering to get out of the pit; she pushed balls behind her attempting to slow Rick down. He lunged for her, his strong arms wrapping themselves around her petite waist. "Gotcha, you little minx!" He growled, pulling her back behind him allowing him to get ahead of her.

She laughed, struggling to get up. She swam through the plastic balls, gaining on Rick. He reached the edge and jumped out, a few balls following him to the floor. She was right behind him; Kate quickly got out of the pit and was running up to the writer. He glanced over a shoulder to see Kate directly behind him. He let out a girlish shriek and ran as fast as he could.

"Castle, get back here!" Kate called, the smile she had on was clear in her voice.

The two raced up the stairs, getting weird looks from other people. A few kids were cheering the two adults on, excited to see them playing and having fun. It was a nice sight to see, especially with most adults just standing around and watching. Kids all around stopped what they were doing to watch the duo compete with one another as they ran.

"I win!" Rick cheered when he reached the top of the deck. He raised his arms in the air, his hands in the shape of fists.

All of the youngsters let out a cheer when Rick won. Kate cheered along with them, laughing while doing it. Rick did a dance making Kate bend over in laughter, tears streaming down her face.

He looked at her, leaning closer to her. With his mouth directly next to her ear, he breathed, "You're a stinky old pirate."

Kate chuckled and then pushed Rick hard, causing him to fall into the pit with a high-pitched scream. She watched as he tumbled into the multicolored balls, a proud grin making homage on her lips. With her arms crossed, she called down, "Takes one to know one, Castle."

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><p><strong>There you go! :)<strong>

**I am telling you guys, I am having _way_ too much fun with this! I hope you guys liked it! Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments! :) They are greatly appreciated! Until next time!  
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**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey!**

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! It really means a lot! Y'all are incredible! I've been having a blast with this fic and I sure hope you guys are enjoying it! **

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 6]<strong>

"You are_ so_ gonna pay for that!" Rick growled up at Kate, swimming through the plastic balls.

She got a frightened expression and booked it. Running down the stairs, careful not to run into little kids, Kate looked for a place to hide. But, of course, there was none. She scurried around, desperate to take shelter somewhere. Taking a daring glance behind her, she saw Rick nearing in.

He scanned the arcade, towering over the small children. His eyes hunting for a beautiful detective with alluring eyes. After a few seconds, he found her. She was trying to blend in, her normally sneaky detective skills lacking. He grinned, stalking toward his prey. She was standing by a couple of adults, who were chatting amongst themselves about their kids. He crouched down by a claw machine, peering over to Kate. The little kid playing on the machine gave him a questioning look before going back to the game with his tongue poking out, his little eyes focused on a stuffed parrot.

Kate casually looked around, not seeing her partner anywhere. She froze, where did he go? She gulped and began making her way to a Whack a Shark machine where a little girl with pigtails was pounding at the shark heads with a foam mallet. She smiled sweetly at the girl who completely ignored her, too absorbed in her game. Kate began to watch the small girl with great interest as she hit the sharks, an obnoxious sound effect following every hit.

Rick snuck over to her, and with Kate's back turned he had the perfect advantage. Being as discreet as possible, he closed in on her. Standing at his full height Rick towered Kate, she still had no idea he was there. He could only grin as he leaned in, placing his hands by her middle and tickling her sides.

Kate jumped at the contact, her police training going into full effect. She swung back an arm, nailing Rick directly in the right eye. He stopped his movements, a hand flying up and covering his aching eye.

"_Ow!_" He yelped in pain.

"I'm _so_ sorry!" The little girl at the machine turned around at his yelp and pointed at him, laughing. Kate couldn't help but laugh along with her, finding the whole situation rather amusing, too.

"Why are you laughing? That _really_ hurt!" Rick complained, frowning.

"I-I'm sorry, Castle. It's not_ f-f_unny..." she lifted a hand and covered her mouth, attempting to keep the laughter in but it didn't work very well.

He glared at her with his good eye open. "It's not nice to laugh..."

Kate took a deep breath, gaining composure. After about a minute, she cleared her throat. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry," she apologized sincerely.

"Can we get some ice please?"

Kate nodded. "Come on, let's ask someone." She moved over to assist him, guiding him to the ticket counter. "Why did you sneak up on me? What were you thinking?"

"I-I thought it'd be funny," he groaned with a sigh. "And you were the one who ran; I was merely trying to catch you."

She shot him an apologetic look, holding onto his free arm and helping maneuver through the crowded arcade. They eventually reached the counter. "Excuse me?" Kate asked politely, still holding onto Rick.

An older gentleman with graying hair turned around. He had on a simple white button down and a red vest. "Yes? How may I- oh, boy. What happened here?" He asked concerned.

A guilty expression found its way onto her face. "He, um, snuck up on me and I kind of got him on the nose..."

"It was an accident," Rick mended quickly.

The older man let out a tiny chuckle in understanding. "Let me go grab you an ice pack. Go have a seat over there and I'll be right with you," he said, pointing to a bench in the corner. He moved around the counter and headed for the staff area on the opposite side of the arcade.

"Thank you for your help," Kate called, shooting him a grateful smile as she led Rick over to the bench. They sat down; Rick lowered his hand and tried blinking. Kate placed a hand on his knee. "I'm really sorry, Castle. You just snuck up on me and my police training kicked in and-"

"Hey, it's okay," he smiled lightly, stopping her from rambling on apologies. "I should've known better than to sneak up on you. I was messing around and we were just having so much fun that I didn't think things through. And it _was_ kind of funny," he added, continuing to blink furiously; the small actions were quite painful.

"Let me see," Kate commanded gently, reaching her hands up and cupping his face.

He had a bit of stubble on his cheeks and Kate shivered a bit at the touch. Rick did a bit, too. He liked that Kate was taking care of him, it was a nice feeling. She carefully lifted a finger and ran it over the already swollen eye. Rick sucked in a breath, he was in pain but he didn't pull back from her touch. Kate only shook her head in shame, guilt bubbling through her.

"H-how's it look?" Rick winced.

"You'll live. But it's already swelling and I can see a hint of a bruise coming in. You're gonna have quite the black eye in the next hour or so."

"I bet it looks _so_ cool," he grinned, acting like the twelve year old he is.

The older gentleman returned some minutes later with an ice pack. "Always gotta have these handy, you never know what's gonna happen. Especially with children running around and playing. They get hurt all the time."

"Yes, they do," Kate poked Rick's stomach with a grin. She turned to the older man, "Thank you." She took the freezing ice pack and gently raised it to Rick's eye.

He pulled back, "Sorry, it's just cold."

"I know, but we have to keep this on to make sure the swelling stays down." Rick bit his lip, the pack causing him to shiver as Kate held it.

The older gentleman grinned. "Well, it seems you are well taken care of, so I'll leave you to it. Try to be careful next time, yeah?"

"Thank you," they both said with smiles. "We will."

The older man chuckled at them, smiling at the fact that they said it at the same time. "Oh, and go ahead and take that ice pack with you. We've got plenty in the back," he jabbed a thumb behind him.

"Thanks," Kate stated appreciatively as she focused on Rick's face.

He nodded and turned to Rick, gently slapping a hand on his shoulder. "No more sneaking up on your girlfriend, okay?" And went back to the ticket counter without another word.

The duo sat in silence as Kate iced Rick's eye. Both were shocked at his assumption. It became awkward fast and they sat there not speaking, not having the courage to. Every so often Kate would pull the pack away to check on his bruising eye without saying a word. Rick would sit there obediently as she tended to him. The swelling was going down a bit, but a large bruise surrounded the entire area of his right eye.

Rick spoke after some silence. "I've definitely learned my lesson. No more sneaking up on Beckett."

The detective only smiled. "Wait until the boys see you on Monday, they'll think that it's the coolest thing they've _ever_ seen. Well, after they make fun of you, of course. You _were_ hit by a girl."

"Yeah, I definitely deserve their teasing. But, really, black eyes and cuts, it's just how us males are," Rick smirked with a small shrug of his shoulders. "We're fascinated by blood and gore, we find it...interesting."

"_Men,_" she whispered with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head. "I can't believe that little girl laughed at you."

"She wasn't the only one," he pointed out.

Kate gave a weak smile, nudging him lightly in the shoulder with hers. "I know, I know."

He smiled at her. She knew that he was just teasing and that he thought that his black eye was the coolest thing in the world. She felt bad about it but he didn't seem to mind, which lifted that guilt a little bit off her shoulders. After a few minutes of icing, Kate took the pack off and examined his eye. The swelling had gone down but the bruising definitely did not.

"That's a real beauty," she whistled, her hands resting on her thighs.

Rick did his best model look; he pursed his lips and gave her a smoky expression. But with his right eye all bruised and colored, his model look didn't quite turn out as well as he'd hoped. Kate burst into a fit of laughter, something she realized she's been doing a lot today. Rick laughed along with her, enjoying the beautiful sight; his smile reaching his eyes. The two sat there laughing hysterically, grateful to share this crazy-filled day with their partner.

A day that was far from over...

* * *

><p>"Since when did you learn to dance?" Rick questioned, trying to concentrate. He was dancing like he had two left feet, and he had been told by several individuals that he was quite the dancer. Apparently, he was misinformed.<p>

After they had calmed down from their little laughter fit, the duo walked around the arcade some more. Rick was still in some pain, the skin around his eye was tender to the touch and the bruising had darkened in color. Kate was right, it was a real beauty.

The two had made small talk for a bit until Kate spotted a game that she desperately wanted to play. It was a Dance-Dance Revolution game where the objective was to step on these arrows at the same time as the arrows on the monitor. She challenged him to a dance off. And Rick foolishly accepted, little did he know that Kate has been dancing for a very long time.

"Well," she began, stepping in time with the music. "I took ballet when I was four and did that for about three years. After that I took dance classes all through out junior high and high school. But I haven't danced in a long time."

"Could've fooled me," he truthfully admitted. "I just had no idea you were such the dancer," Rick mused, missing the next few steps. "I'm glad to know this about you, even though you are kicking my sorry ass right now."

Kate smiled, not looking over at the writer. She was completely focused on the game. She had only missed one or two steps the entire time while Rick was the exact opposite. He had only gotten about one or two steps right, missing the rest of them. And he was on easy mode while Kate was on expert.

The song ended about a minute later with Kate coming out on top. "I win!" She cheered, turning to Rick with her arms in the air.

"Congratulations," Rick laughed. "_I_ get to pick the next song!" He called, already skimming through the variety of songs he could choose from.

"Doesn't matter what song you pick, you're going to be crushed either way," Kate boasted, seeing as Rick was taking his sweet time.

He shrugged, "Yeah, probably."

Rick finally landed on a song. Kate gave him a bewildered look, an eyebrow raised in question. "Out of all the songs you could've picked, it_ had_ to be this one?"

"What? It's a classic!" He defended, clicking on the _Go_ button. "And I thought you said that it doesn't matter what song I pick, I'll still be crushed anyways. So don't complain." She didn't say anything, mentally getting ready for the song to begin. The monitor counted down from three to one; the song began to play.

"Why this song?" Kate whined as the two danced, one more successful than the other.

"I thought I said no complaining?" Rick chided, but he quickly shut up when he received a glare from his partner.

Kate hid the little smirk she was wearing, trying to go back to their normal banter. "Seriously, Castle. Why _Shake Your Groove Thing_?"

He got a huge grin. "One: because it's just plain awesome! And two: how could you turn down Peaches and Herb?"

She did a series of complicated steps. "The song is obnoxious! Just listen to the lyrics and you'll understand why. It's...cheesy."

Rick looked appalled. "It is _not!_ You take that back!"

"Why should I?" She challenged, stomping left then right on the arrows. Rick attempted to do the same as what the monitor showed but it was of no use. Besides, he had given up on this game long ago. The only reason he kept playing it was to see Kate boogie down.

"Because...I-I said so."

"Oh, so I'm taking orders from you now, huh?" She asked, joking.

"Uh...yes?" He replied, unsure; it was more of a question than an actual solid answer.

Kate smirked. "Wrong answer." And she went all out for the last steps of the song, putting Rick in his place.

_Ouch._

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><p><strong>There ya go my friends!<strong>

**I hope you guys liked it! Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments! :) They are greatly appreciated!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey! **

**I am sorry for such the long wait but real life got a hold on me and wouldn't let go. Thank you all so much for your support and love! You guys are the best! **

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 7]<strong>

"I had a great time today, Castle," Kate smiled as the two got into the Ferrari, strapping themselves in.

Rick started the car, the powerful engine roaring to life as they pulled out onto the main street and into busy afternoon traffic. He still had on the goofy paper pirate hat; it sat proudly on top of his head. His black eye was darkening in color but luckily it wasn't swollen thanks to the ice pack that they were given. Kate smiled as she glanced at him, he looked so childish but handsome at the same time.

"Likewise, Beckett. I'm just glad that you allowed me to go shopping with you in the first place. It was fun! Especially, with the shopping cart!"

Kate laughed. "Oh yeah! I'm just happy we didn't get in trouble for riding that thing like we did. That would've been extremely embarrassing to have to explain to the store's owner."

Rick chuckled at that, "No kidding." An image suddenly popped in his head, "I'm trying to picture Ryan and Esposito's faces if they saw you! They would've flipped!"

"I'd never hear the end of it, that's for sure!" She groaned a hint of a smile there as she scratched the back of her head. "They'd probably want to try it, too, if they had the chance."

"I wouldn't blame them! It was _so_ cool!" He cheered, the small movement causing his eye to twitch in pain.

Kate noticed his facial expressions change from pure joy to pain in seconds. "Still hurt?"

"Yeah, it's a bit tender, but I'm fine," Rick reassured. A few minutes passed before, "Oh, imagine what the boys would've done if they saw you punch me!"

"Knowing those two, they wouldn't feel bad for you at all. You _were_ asking for it."

He pouted, quickly looking over at his partner. "And why wouldn't they feel bad? I got injured."

A mischievous grin found its way to her rosy lips. "They've learned the hard way."

"What happened?"

She took a breath. "They thought it'd be amusing to sneak up on me while I was doing paperwork, my guard was down and I definitely wasn't expecting it. Making it the perfect opportunity for them. As I was writing Espo came in on one side while Ryan took the other."

Rick was listening intently as Kate told him the story. He had his eyes focused on the busy street ahead, but his ears were focused on her angelic voice.

"Right as they reached me I whipped around and nailed Ryan right below the belt with my foot and I hit Espo directly in the nose with my fist. Ryan got the wind knocked out of him and I broke Espo's nose. You should've seen them. Man, I felt terrible but I was never snuck up on again, at least not by those two."

Rick cringed in agony; just imagining the pain those two went through. "I sure got off easy then. Poor boys..." he sympathized.

Kate rolled her eyes at his actions. "So, the lesson learned today is: sneak up on me and you'll definitely regret it."

"Oh,_ I_ don't regret it," he stated, truthfully. "Not one bit."

An eyebrow raised in question, she was confused. "Really? Why is that?"

"Because...I had a gorgeous woman taking care of me. Nothing to regret about. And even though it's just a black eye, you were there to help me. After you laughed about it first," Rick winked with a tiny chuckle. Kate laughed a bit, too. "But I know that you'll have my back no matter what the circumstances, even if it's icing my eye. You'll always be there," he finished with his eyes on her. "So, thank you, Kate. For everything."

Kate didn't know what to say. She merely reached over and grasped his forearm, squeezing it. "We're partners, Rick." The use of his first name catching his attention. "I'm there for you and you're there for me. We have each others backs, whether it be on a case, getting coffee, or helping ice a black eye."

A smile appeared on both their lips at that.

They came up to a red light and Rick slowed down the car to a complete stop. "Promise?" He asked his attention solely on Kate.

Squeezing his arm again, he heard the single word that made him float higher than the clouds. A word that was beginning to mean so much more to the writer and the detective. "Always."

Their eyes locked ocean blue meeting forest green. They both knew that nothing else had to be said in that tender moment, their eyes spoke louder than any small words could ever do. A blaring car horn broke their trance, the light had turned green and neither the writer nor the detective noticed.

_"The light's green, you idiot! Move your ass!"_ The frustrated driver behind them yelled, pressing hard on the car horn once again.

Kate slunk down in her seat, looking over at Rick with an amused expression. Her hand was covering her mouth as she held back a laugh.

"Best to not keep His Majesty waiting any longer," he sighed, waving a hand to the rude driver in apology before pressing on the gas pedal and driving forward.

* * *

><p>"Where would you like all of this?" Rick asked, arms full of grocery bags as he entered Kate's apartment.<p>

She was right behind him; closing the door she placed her keys and purse on a small table near the front door. "You can just set it all on the kitchen counter."

Rick nodded and headed to the kitchen, placing the bags on the marble counter. Kate followed him and began to sort through all of the bags, putting things away. Rick helped, only needing to ask what goes where once or twice. A few minutes later and they were finished.

Kate took in a breath, hands on her hips. "There. All done. Thanks again for your help, Castle."

"Not a problem," he returned, a smile gracing his lips. "Like I said earlier, I had fun."

"Even with the black eye?

"Even with the black eye," he repeated, still smiling. "Speaking of...should I ice it again?"

"Oh, yes. You should!" She turned around, opening the freezer side of the refrigerator and looking inside. "The ice pack that we were given isn't cold anymore so we'll have to make do with a frozen bag of peas. That okay?"

"As long as it works, I'm not complaining." He took off the ridiculous hat and waited.

"Great," Kate nodded, reaching in and grabbing the frozen bag. "It's really cold, sorry." And she raised the bag to his eye, standing remotely close to him.

Rick shivered. "That is _freezing!_" He shrieked, pulling completely back.

"I did warn you," she pointed out. "I'll wrap it in a towel so it's not as cold, okay, you big baby?"

"Thank you," he grumbled under his breath as Kate opened a drawer under the sink and wrapped up the pack of peas.

Raising it back to his eye, she asked, "Better?"

"Much."

Kate and Rick stood there in her kitchen completely silent as she iced his eye. She really didn't seem to realize that he could ice his eye on his own; she didn't need to do it for him. He was highly capable of doing it himself. Kate just didn't see that, she wanted to help and Rick has yet to say anything about it. He knew that she could leave him be and that he'd be fine, but he'd rather have her tend to him. It gave him the opportunity to see another side of the extraordinary woman.

Their proximity was close. The line of her body fit his perfectly, almost completely touching. Kate stood on her toes, a hand resting on Rick's shoulder to help her stay balanced as she iced. Rick was leaning against the marble counter, his hands braced on the sides. If either were to move an inch, they would be in quite the position. He merely watched her as she pressed the bag of peas on his bad eye. Her eyes were glued to the bag, focused. Her tongue was sticking partially out of her mouth in concentration; a few lines creased around her lips.

Feeling him staring at her, she met his good eye with hers. A swarm of heat flooded through her body, her blood boiling. Rick's breathing got hitched, their chests touching with each intake of air. The hand holding the peas slowly dropped, revealing the darkened eye. Kate placed the bag and towel on the counter, her hand reaching up and laying on his strong chest next to her other hand. His hands left the counter and found their way to her slender hips, tugging her closer. As soon as their hips collided, a gasp escaped both of their lips.

"Cas-" Kate was cut off by the softness of Rick's lips covering hers. It took a bit to register what was happening and soon, she was kissing him back.

They explored one another's mouth, becoming familiar. A small groan vibrated down Kate's throat when Rick bit lightly on her bottom lip. Her hands moved up his chest and to his neck, encircling it and bringing him closer. Their bodies were lined up perfectly, every part of them touching.

But all too quickly, the kiss was over. Rick's eyes grew wide as he realized what had just occurred. "I- I'm sorry...I shouldn't have done that- it was stupid...you're just so beautiful and I couldn't...I'm sor-" before he could ramble on, Kate's lips were on his again. The feel of her lips molding to his made him shut up immediately.

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><p><strong>And there ya go, folks! :) <strong>

**I know that this chapter was short, but I wanted to give you guys a little something. I'm not entirely sure when I'll be able to post but hopefully you won't have to wait very long. Thanks for everything! Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments! Until next time!  
><strong>

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello dearies! :)**

**I am so sorry it has taken me a bit to do updates but real life got a hold on me. BTW I'm going to start to take a different route with this story, so I hope you guys like it! Please leave a review with your thoughts & comments! They are always welcome!**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/  
><strong>

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><p><strong>[Chapter 8]<strong>

"I should go," Rick mumbled against Kate's lips.

The two hadn't moved from their spots in the kitchen, too busy making out like teenagers. Kate let out a sigh, seeing where he was coming from.

"Yeah, okay," she breathed, nodding slightly.

Rick gave her a chaste kiss on her forehead before untangling himself and heading for the front door. Millions of emotions were flooding through them, both confused yet extremely happy. Neither wanted him to leave, but they both knew that if he were to stay any longer then things would happen. Things that they wouldn't want to regret later.

Kate stared at the floor as she followed Rick to the entrance, opening the door for him. Upon seeing her that way, Rick curled a finger and placed it under her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes.

With his voice hardly above a whisper he said, "Thank you for today."

She smiled softly up at him. Unable to resist, she leaned up and gave him a brief kiss on the lips; her lips ghosting over his. "You're welcome," she smiled, pulling back.

Rick's face was lit with joy. He slowly moved past her and into the hallway. Kate leaned against the door, her right hip braced against it. They had on matching smiles, their eyes locked on each other's. Rick gave her a small nod before making his way to the elevator. Kate watched him as he stepped on the lift; he gave her a wave before disappearing.

Acting fast, Kate booked it, barely stopping the double doors from closing.

"_Cometodinnerwithmetomorrow?_" She yelped, slurring her words together. The doors were now fully open, revealing a confused Rick.

He stood there with a bewildered expression on his face. "I- uh...what?"

Kate took a deep breath, taking her time. "Come to dinner with me, tomorrow night?"

He smiled, not believing what he was hearing. She just asked him out, how could he say no? "I'd love to."

"It's a date then," she grinned, happy that he accepted. "Pick me up at eight?"

Rick nodded, the doors beginning to close once more. "Bye, Kate."

"Until tomorrow, Rick."

The elevator doors completely shut, Rick grinning like a madman. Kate Beckett just asked him out to dinner! He had a dinner date with the beautiful detective. _Finally._ Rick leaned against the railing, that goofy smile never leaving his face.

Best day ever, he thought, getting off the elevator, a hop in his step as he left the apartment complex.

Kate backed up as the doors closed and leaned against the wall directly across from the elevator. Sliding down, she wrapped her arms around her raised legs and rested her chin on her arms. She had just asked Richard Castle out on a date! Meaning that she would have to get dressed up and go to dinner with the handsome writer. Kate let out a breath of air, slowly standing and heading back to her apartment.

Best day ever, she thought, closing the door behind her and meandering to the couch, sinking into the soft cushions.

* * *

><p>"Girl, you need to calm down!" Lanie chided, sitting on Kate's bed as the detective was scrambling through her closet looking for something to wear for her date tonight with Rick. She had taken a shower earlier and was donning a light blue bathrobe. Her long hair was still wet, a few droplets of water cascading down her back.<p>

"I have nothing to wear, Lane!" Kate sighed as she went through her dresses. Taking out two dresses, she lifted them up for the ME to see. She held out an obnoxious pink one first with silver sequins covering it.

"That looks like a flamingo threw up on it," Lanie rolled her eyes.

Kate let out a groan, tossing the dress on the floor. She held up another dress. "What about this one?" It had many different colors to it, looking like a rainbow. Like the previous dress, it had sequins.

"Where did you find these dresses? A clown store? They're obnoxious!"

She shot her an innocent look. "The girl at Sax said that it made my eyes pop..."

Lanie was about to make a smart remark but the door bell rang. Kate sighed, tossing the colorful dress to the floor with the other one. Kate gave Lanie a pleading look. "Fine, I'll answer the door," the ME sighed, standing up. "But you better not be wearing your prom dress when I get back."

Just as quick as Lanie left, she was back carrying a large white box. Kate was in her closet, searching for a dress. "Who was at the door?" Her muffled voice asked.

"Delivery."

Kate popped her head out of the closet. "From who?" She walked over to her bed where Lanie had just placed the box.

Picking up a card, Lanie read, "_To one extraordinary KB, here is to a magical and unforgettable evening. -RC_"

"Castle," Kate smiled. She bit her lip in thought. "What do you think it is? Flowers?"

Lanie shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

Taking a deep breath before opening the box, Kate's jaw dropped at the sight. "Wow," she gasped, a hand flying up to her mouth.

Lanie was impressed. "It's definitely _not_ flowers..."

* * *

><p>"Dad, you seem nervous," Alexis stated, walking into her father's room. He was having trouble picking out a tie; he was stuck between two.<p>

Rick glanced over his shoulder and smiled. "Yeah, a bit," he said sheepishly.

The teenager grinned and walked over to her dad, both looking in the mirror at their reflection. "Need help?"

He nodded. Alexis looked at the two ties he had in mind, with a raise of an eyebrow she gave him a look and went to his closet to grab a different tie. Returning she began to tie it for him.

"I think this will match better with the dress you sent her, don't you think?" Stepping back, Alexis placed a hand on his chest flattening out the tie.

"How do you do that?" He questioned, grinning. Pulling her into a fierce hug, he kissed the crown of her head whispering, "Thank you."

She leaned into her dad's embrace, her arms wrapping around his middle. "You're welcome."

Rick stood back and gave his daughter a little twirl. "So, how do I look?"

"Very handsome. You clean up nice, Dad," she complimented. "How's that eye?"

Rick chuckled, checking it out in the mirror. "A lot better. It's not swollen and the bruising is beginning to go down."

"It's quite macho," Alexis laughed and he laughed along with her, giving her his model look. "So, what time are you picking up Detective Beckett?"

Rick lifted his left wrist, looking at his watch. "I should probably get going. It's almost seven-thirty."

He received a perplexed look. "Dad, you have plenty of time. What's the rush?"

Exiting his bedroom, he snatched his keys and wallet off the kitchen counter. "I wanted to pick her up some flowers on my way over."

"You're such a romantic."

"Don't I know it," Rick winked at his daughter. "Bye, Pumpkin. I'll see you later tonight. Wish me luck."

Alexis followed him to the door, giving him one more hug. "Good luck!"

* * *

><p><strong>There you go! <strong>

**I hope you guys enjoyed it! Please leave a review with your thoughts! Hopefully, I'll be able to update soon! Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi dear readers! :)**

**Thank you all _so_ very much for the reviews! Y'all are just incredible! I've been having a ball with this fic and I sure hope you guys are enjoying it!**

******Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/******

* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 9]<strong>

"You look smokin' hot, girl. Castle is gonna pass out when he sees you!" Lanie grinned, as she helped Kate finish her make-up.

"I should certainly hope not, wouldn't be much of a date if he's unconscious."

Lanie laughed along, almost done with the make-up. "There. All finished. You look beautiful, Kate."

She grinned, hugging her friend. "Thanks, Lane." Kate pulled back and headed for her bedroom, sitting carefully down on the bed to put on her high heels.

Lanie was right behind the detective and bent down to help her. "Let me."

She sighed in relief, sticking her feet out for Lanie. "Thank you."

"So, where are you going to dinner?" Lanie asked, strapping one heel on.

"Um...I don't know."

"You asked him out on a date and you don't even know where you're going?" She stared at her friend like she had six heads.

Kate hesitated, "I-I'm leaving that all up to Castle. I'm sure wherever we go will be perfect."

The ME rolled her eyes but a smile was on her lips nonetheless. "I never asked you this, but how'd things go yesterday? Seeing as you asked him to dinner and all, I'm taking it that things went really well."

Kate blushed, her thoughts being conceived by their fun filled day yesterday. She unconsciously raised a hand to her mouth, she could still feel Rick's lips on hers. A tingling sensation spread through out her body, her cheeks heated.

Lanie glanced up to see her friend grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed as she saw her friend's dazed expression. "You kissed!"

Kate gave her a knowing look, a sly smirk making homage on her ruby lips. "Maybe..." she teased.

"Details," she begged as she secured the final strap, reaching out for Kate's hands and lifting her up to a standing position. The detective now towered over her friend. "Come on, girlfriend. You've been holding out on me."

"Sorry. I don't kiss and tell."

Kate wasn't going to budge. "You're cruel...I still have no idea how you walk in those things by the way," Lanie commented, her hands on her hips, indicating the high heels her friend was now wearing.

"Years of practice," Kate winked, fetching a little black purse with her wallet and phone inside. Just then the door bell rang. Looking at the clock on her bedside, Kate grinned. "That'll be him."

Lanie squealed, grabbing her own belongings and following Kate to the front door. She stood there with her hand on the door knob, not moving. The nerves were settling in. Great. Lanie gave her a little nudge of encouragement, exactly what she needed.

"Hey, Castle," Kate greeted with a smile, a small pinkness appearing on her cheeks.

"Wow," Rick gasped upon seeing the beautiful woman in front of him. "You're absolutely breathtaking. Uh, these are for you," he offered with a nervous laugh, giving her the two dozen white roses he had picked up from a flower shop a few blocks away. Kate blushed even more as she took the roses, their fingers touching and creating a spark between them.

Lanie decided to make an appearance, stepping out from behind her friend. "What about me? Where are _my_ flowers?" Her tone threatening. She was totally teasing but Rick didn't know that.

"I- uh..." He was at a loss for words. Glancing at Kate, he sent her a confused look. "Well, I-I um..."

Lanie laughed at him, getting the exact reaction she was hoping for. "Don't sweat it, Writer Boy. Only joking," she reassured, placing a hand on his forearm to calm him down. He sighed, relief washing over him. The ME scooted past Rick, leaving the apartment. She mouthed to Kate, "Call me later." Lanie called over her shoulder, "Have fun you two lovebirds!" She stepped onto the elevator and disappeared from their sight. Both Rick and Kate watched as she got on the lift, each letting out a small chuckle.

Kate turned her gaze to the handsome man before her, taking the time to check out his attire. He had on a white button-down with a purple tie. A matching handkerchief stuck out of his left breast pocket. The black suit he wore fitted his body in all the right places and showed off the muscles underneath. On bottom he wore simple dress shoes, completing the look. His hair was combed back, a single tendril of hair finding its way to his forehead.

"You dress up quite nice there, Mr. Castle," Kate grinned as she finally let the writer in her apartment.

Rick looked her up and down as well, grinning from ear to ear. "I could say the same about you, Miss Beckett."

The color of her dress matched his tie perfectly. It was a floor length dress with a slit that went all the way up to her mid thigh, showing off her long, toned legs. It was a v-neck cut with the straps hanging on the edge of her shoulders. You could barely see the pinkness of her scar from the shooting almost a year ago; the dress covering most of it. It hugged her curves in all the right ways, showing off her luscious body. She wore simple gold high heels that brought her to Rick's eye level. Gold earrings decorated her ears and a matching bracelet laid upon her right wrist. Kate's hair was put up in an elegant bun with a few tendrils loose.

"Thank you," she blushed, moving over to her kitchen counter and setting her purse down to get a vase from a cabinet under the sink. "Alright, let me put these flowers in some water and then we can go."

Rick looked around the space, grinning; the room screamed Kate. It was all so her. "Take your time. I booked our reservations for eight-thirty."

Kate filled up the crystal vase a little more than halfway full. "And where are we going exactly?"

He laughed, "Nice try. But that's for me to know and for you to find out."

Kate began to cut the ends off the stems, sticking them in the vase. She gave him an apprehensive look, "We're not going to _The Jolly Roger_ again, are we? I'm sorry but I think once was enough."

He acted like he was stabbed in the heart. "I'm hurt, you think I'd take you there? Especially dressed like _that._ You have no faith in me," he complained, acting like he was going to burst into tears.

"Oh, hush. Leave the dramatics to your mother."

Rick shot her that smug grin, loving to mess with her. "But really, we're going to a fabulous restaurant that I know you'll love. Trust me."

"You're not going to tell me are you?" He just shook his head, that grin still plastered on his face. "Yeah, I thought so," she sighed. Soon, Kate was done cutting the ends and the arrangement looked beautiful. "Okay, all set," she smiled softly as she approached the writer, who had his arm out intending for her to take it.

"Shall we?" He asked, extremely excited.

Kate took his offered arm, her left hand gripping onto his forearm. "We shall."

Rick led Kate to the open door, escorting her out to the elevator. They rode down to the main lobby in silence, both content with not speaking just enjoying each other's presence. Kate's body pressed to his in a delicious way. She looked absolutely radiant.

"Your chariot awaits, madam," he waved, opening the doors for Kate.

She carefully stepped down the stairs that led to her apartment building and rolled her eyes at what laid before her. "The Ferrari? Really?"

Rick merely nodded, the little boy inside of him bubbling out. Escorting her to the high-powered vehicle, he opened the door and helped her inside. He quickly got into the driver's side and started the car, it's engine roaring to life. Rick merged onto the busy street, maneuvering it with relative ease.

Kate sat silently in the passenger seat, gazing at Rick, a tiny smile tugging on her lips. She was in for the date of her life. She had no idea what the ruggedly handsome writer had in store. She was giddy with excitement, happy she had the guts to ask him on a date in the first place.

It was definitely going to be a date she would never forget.

* * *

><p>"Welcome to <em>Marlowe's<em>. How may I help you?"

"Reservations for Jameson Rook," Rick smiled at the man.

Glancing at the list the maitre'd had, he answered. "Ah, yes. Follow me Mr. Rook," he instructed, leading a grinning Rick and a confused Kate.

She leaned into Rick's ear. "Jameson Rook? Couldn't you have used, I don't know, your actual name?"

"I didn't want anyone pestering us because the famous author Richard Castle is here. I knew that if we used other names then we'd be left alone. _And,_ I just did it because I knew you'd get a kick out of it."

Kate rolled her eyes, a hint of a smile on her lips. "You're something else."

"Your private room, as per requested," the waiter told Rick and Kate as he opened the doors to a room located on the far left side of the restaurant.

A single round table with a deep red cloth on top sat in the middle of the room. A lone candle on the center of the table lit up the room in an orange glow. They had an incredible view of New York just outside the balcony doors.

"Oh my," Kate gasped as she walked over to the balcony doors, opening them and stepping outside.

"I'll leave you two in peace. David should be right with you," the maitre'd stated, exiting the room and closing the door behind him. It was just the two of them now.

A small wind blew, Kate wrapped her arms over her chest trying to stay warm. Her eyes scattered all around, taking in the picturesque view. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms encircled her middle, wrapping themselves around her. Rick kissed her temple, his cheek pressed close to hers.

"Beautiful view, huh?" He murmured, his breath tickling her skin.

Kate squeezed his forearms. "Gorgeous," she whispered, enthralled with it all.

"Not as gorgeous as you."

Turning in his arms, Kate bit her lip. Her long arms finding their way up his chest and securing themselves behind his neck. "You sure know how to charm a woman."

Rick tugged her closer, eyes locked. His mouth skated over hers. "You haven't seen anything yet."

Their lips met, colliding together and becoming one. It was a slow and sweet kiss that had their bodies growing warmer by the second. They continued to stand there for a few moments before they were forced to break apart by a cleared throat. "I beg your pardon, but I just wanted to see if you were ready to order," a timid young waiter said, his upper half poking out of the partially closed doors. "If you need more time..."

Rick shook his head, "No, we're ready. You must be David."

The waiter nodded, entering the room completely. Rick led Kate to the table, pulling out her seat for her before he took a seat himself. His mother engraved it in him at a young age: always be a gentleman to a lady.

David handed each of them two large menus. He folded his hands behind his back. "Can I start you two off with some drinks? We have this delicious red wine that I would highly recommend. It's called Chateau Les Graves de Barrau. It has a hint of cherries."

Rick silently asked Kate. She nodded. Rick turned to David, "We'll take it."

"Excellent," David grinned, nodding to another man who had just appeared at the doors. The man left and then quickly returned with their bottle of wine, pouring it in their glasses and placing it in a small tub of ice located on the right of the table. "Now, which appetizer fits your fancy?"

Kate looked over the large assortment of choices. There were many different choices from Calamari to Shrimp to Mozzarella Bread. "I can't decide between the stuffed mushrooms and the mozzarella bread. What do you think..._Jameson?_" She asked, playing along with his little game. Kate still couldn't believe he put the reservations under his character's name. It was such a Castle thing to do.

Rick raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Well..._Nikki._ I, like you, am unable to decide between the two. They both sound great."

"May I make a suggestion?" David prodded. "The Sicilian Scampi is absolutely delicious. It's shrimp sautéed in a white wine, with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and tomatoes. We serve it over a delectable ciabatta bread."

Rick grinned. "That sounds perfect!"

The waiter smiled, writing everything down. "I'll have that out for you in about twenty minutes."

"Thank you," the duo chorused, each letting out a chuckle after the words were uttered.

The young man smiled. "It is not a problem." And with that, he let the room giving the two their privacy.

Kate sighed. "This quite the restaurant, Rick. Very...high class."

He shrugged. "Only the best for you, Kate."

She blushed before raising her wine glass in front of her. Rick did the same, the wine sloshing in the glasses. "Here's to a fantastic date with one handsome fella."

Rick added onto her toast. "To an extraordinary night with a beautiful gal."

Their glasses clinked together.

* * *

><p>"Would you like to check our desert menu?" David asked, seeing that the couple was finished with their meal.<p>

The shrimp they ordered for an appetizer was scrumptious. Rick and Kate devoured the shrimp as soon as it arrived to their table. As soon as they finished that, the main course was on its way. Rick ended up getting lobster which he kindly shared with Kate. The dinner was filled with laughs, flirting, and meaningful glances.

Before Kate could answer, Rick interrupted. "Uh, we'll have to pass on that. I've got something special planned," he informed David, shooting his girlfriend a smug grin.

David was completely understanding. "Not to worry. We appreciate you spending your evening at _Marlowe's_. I will go get you your check then."

As soon as David left to fetch the check, Kate pestered him. "Castle? What exactly do you have planned? Because I really wanted to see what desert they have here," she poured slightly.

Rick reached across the table, capturing her hand and giving it a small squeeze. "I have something set up for desert already. Trust me, it'll be worth it."

Kate gazed at him curiously, but slowly nodded her head. "Okay," she agreed, squeezing his hand in return letting him know that she trusted him completely. In everything.

David returned about a minute later with their check. "It was a pleasure serving you two tonight. I hope you join us again soon. Have a good night, folks."

Rick paid for the dinner, not giving Kate the chance to pitch in her half. She gave up quickly seeing as how Rick wasn't going to change his mind. His stubborn, stubborn mind. Rick escorted Kate out by the arm, a bit nervous as to what she was going to think of what he had planned for desert. There was a tiny spring breeze that followed them as they got into the Ferrari.

With the top down, Kate's once elegant bun was beginning to fall apart. A few piece of hair had escaped, falling on her neck. She didn't seem to mind though, and neither did Rick. He thought she looked stunning.

Hell, she could be wearing a brown paper bag and she'd be glowing.

Rick took a quick glance at the woman next to him. His heart pounded in his chest at her beauty. Kate looked radiant and he couldn't believe that he was on a date with her! This weekend has been the best weekend of his entire life and it wasn't even over yet. He still had desert planned for himself and the detective.

Twenty minutes later Rick pulled up to the curb, cutting the engine off. "Here we go," he exclaimed. Unbuckling his seat belt, he ran to Kate's side of the car and opened the door for her. Kate gave him a thankful smile. "Welcome to _Sprinkles_. Home of the most amazing cupcakes in the entire world."

Kate looked up to the building in front of them. It had glass windows giving you the chance to look inside. One large window was decorated with a ton of differently sized and multicolored circles. He escorted her to the door, opening it for her.

"Wait, how is this place even open? It's going on ten o'clock," Kate stated, looking around the cute little shop.

Rick grinned at her, going behind the serving counter. "Being me has its special perks."

"Let me guess...you know a guy?" Kate teased, walking over to the counter and seeing various different types of cupcakes.

Rick shrugged, giving Kate her answer. She laughed, a laugh that sounded like music to his ears. It was nice to hear Kate laugh and to see her let go of that rough exterior she always wore at work.

"So, my dear," Rick began, bracing his palms flat over the counter. "Pick your poison."

Kate gave him a smoky look, but it quickly vanished. Scanning all of the options, Kate leaned on the counter. Her bottom lip finding its way between her teeth. "Let's see..." The cupcakes varied from dark chocolate to strawberry to red velvet to banana. The choices were endless! "I think I'll have the red velvet," Kate said, pointing to one of the cupcakes.

"An excellent choice, madam," Rick smiled, opening the little cabinet and with prongs he grabbed Kate her cupcake. He placed it on a plate and handed it to her. "Go ahead and take a seat over there, I'll be right with you."

"Ordering me around there, Castle?" Rick looked up to find Kate with a raised eyebrow, a hand on her hip, and an intimidating look.

He was a deer in headlights. "What? _No!_"

Kate let out a deep throaty laugh. "Too bad," she breathed. "It's quite the turn on..." She raked up some of the cream cheese frosting on her index finger and raised it to her mouth, sucking on the digit. Kate's eyes were trained on Rick, giving him a sultry gaze.

He nearly passed out just from her words, but when she sucked up that frosting from her finger he was a goner. He gulped and tried to get himself together. Taking longer than needed, Rick eventually joined Kate at a table.

"H-how's your cupcake?" Rick asked, taking a bite out of his own. He ended up getting a dark chocolate cupcake with fluffy chocolate frosting.

Kate was half way done with hers. "It's delicious," she moaned. "Here try it." Picking up a little chunk of her cupcake, Kate raised her fingers to Rick's mouth.

He eagerly ate the cupcake. Rick's eyes on hers as his warm mouth touched her slender digits. Kate stopped breathing as she felt him suck on her fingers. Rick slowly pulled his mouth away, kissing Kate on the palm briefly before completely pulling away. "Yummy."

Kate was frozen. She gave him a weak smile before turning her focus to her cupcake. Rick grinned, doing that small act was a turn on. He couldn't believe that she actually let him do it! This was a Kate that he'd never seen before. And he was liking it.

"Wanna try mine?" Rick asked, indicating his cupcake. He thought he'd ask since she offered him some of hers. It was worth a shot.

She timidly nodded. Rick, like Kate before, picked up a bit of his cupcake and offered it to Kate. She grabbed his wrist, guiding his fingers into her mouth. Licking off the cupcake and the frosting, she kissed the tips of his fingers before releasing her grip.

_"Delicious."_

* * *

><p>The duo left <em>Sprinkles<em>, both content. And, if they were bring honest with themselves, a little aroused. Kate reached for Rick's hand, having him follow her lead. Walking right past the Ferrari, they headed down the block. "Uh, where are we going? I parked back there." Rick had no idea what was going on. "Kate?"

Kate glanced behind her shoulder at him. "We're going on a little adventure."

"And are you going to tell me where it is that we're going?"

Kate smirked, walking down the next few blocks with Rick in tow. "Nope. You've had your surprises, now I get to have mine."

He caught up to her long strides, their hands still connected. Squeezing her hand, Rick let Kate know that he trusts her. Kate gave him a smile as they crossed an intersection and headed for Central Park. He suddenly got very excited. Jumping up and down, he exclaimed, "Are we going to Central Park Zoo? I use to take Alexis all of the time. We both just love the polar bears! They are so-"

Kate pressed a finger to his mouth, stopping him from his rambling. "We're not going to the zoo." Rick frowned, his head falling in defeat. "_But _where we're going is a whole lot better than the zoo."

Rick perked up. "What could be better than the zoo?"

Kate smiled a smile that reached her eyes. "You'll just have to wait and see. Now, come on. We're almost there." And she pulled him along, Rick happy like a kid on Christmas. Kate couldn't help but chuckle to herself at his antics. He was so adorable!

They reached Kate's intended location. "Take off your shoes and socks," she instructed, taking her high heels off and setting them down on a bench, along with her purse.

Rick was puzzled. "Uh, why?"

"Don't ask. Just do."

He shrugged, going along with it. Removing his socks and shoes, he set them by Kate's belongings. He put his wallet, phone, and keys with her purse. Rick followed Kate. He stepped on the ground bare foot, getting a feel for what lay beneath him. "Why are we standing on asphalt? And why is it squishy?"

She took both of his hands in hers and grinned mischievously. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough..."

And less than ten seconds later, did fluorescent lights come on and water began to shoot out from the ground. Rick's eyes widened as he realized where they were.

"You took me to Heckscher Playground?" Kate nodded. "H-how did you...? The lights?"

"I've got people, too, Rick."

He grinned like never before. Picking her up into a crushing hug, his lips molded into hers. "Best date ever," he whispered against Kate's mouth. She pecked him on the lips once more. Setting her down, Rick yanked Kate to where the big sprinklers were. "We're gonna get so wet!" He shrieked, the water hitting them in every direction.

Kate giggled, skipping. Their entire bodies were soaked from head to toe, but neither seemed to mind. The suit that Rick had on was pressed tightly to his body, showing off the defined muscles. Kate's dress, like his suit, was pressed to her body displaying her womanly curves.

Taking off his jacket and throwing it on the bench, Rick spread out his arms and began to twirl in a circle. Kate laughed, copying him. The two spun until they got dizzy and collapsed on the ground. Both were cracking up, having way too much fun.

Rick stood up, helping Kate. He stuck out a hand and bowed down. "May I have this dance?"

Kate grinned, curtsying. "Why of course you may."

The two met together. Rick's left hand holding into Kate's right while his right found homage on her petite waist. Kate's left hand rested on his shoulder. The two danced in a circle, the lights sparkling in their eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you guys enjoyed it! Please leave a review with your thoughts! <strong><strong>They are always welcome!<strong>** Hopefully, I'll be able to update soon! Love you guys! And ****Rick's suit is based on what Nathan wore to the 2012 PCA's and Kate's dress is based on what Stana wore to the 2012 Elton John AIDS Foundation Benefit. Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi there my dear readers! :)**

**I am so very glad y'all enjoyed the last chapter! And to answer a question I received a few times...yes, I did have High School Musical 2 in mind while writing the sprinkler/fountain scene. I couldn't help it haha. Anyways, please feel free to leave a review and tell me your thoughts! It is greatly appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

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><p><strong>[Chapter 10]<strong>

"Come back here, you little minx!" Rick screamed, getting up and chasing after a shrieking Kate.

She was running from him because she had pushed him down flat on his butt when he wasn't looking. He landed right next to a sprinkler, getting completely soaked. As soon as she pushed him, she ran.

"Gotcha!" Rick cheered, finally getting her.

With Rick's arms wrapped securely around her waist, Kate laughed. "Yes, you got me. Congratulations."

Rick kissed her on the cheek, grinning like no other. A phone began ringing, they both turned toward the bench. Rick sighed, letting go of Kate and walking to the bench. He picked the phone up, careful not to get it wet. And he lit up when he saw who was calling.

"Hey, Alexis," Rick greeted.

"Hi, dad. How's your date with Detective Beckett going?" The teenager questioned, smirking. Rick glanced at Kate, who was twirling in a circle a few feet away, not wanting to eavesdrop on his conversation. She looked so beautiful. So peaceful. "Dad? You there?"

"Huh? Oh, the date. It's going really well! Kate is full of surprises."

The smile Alexis had on was evident in her voice. "Good! I'm glad."

Rick sat down on the bench. "So, what's up, Pumpkin? Everything alright?"

"Well, Shelby called and she needs help with a science project that's due tomorrow. I was just wondering if it'd be okay if I could go help her."

Rick smiled to himself. His daughter was way too responsible for her own good. "Of course you can go, sweetheart. Just make sure you text me when you get there."

Alexis snorted. "Duh. Oh and Shelby says that I can spend the night. That okay?"

"What about school?"

"She said that she can take me."

Rick hesitated. "Okay...that's fine."

Alexis squealed on the other side of the line. "Yes! Thanks, Dad! I love you! Tell Detective Beckett hello for me!"

"Love you, too. And I will. Bye." And he hung up, a small smile on his lips.

Kate walked over and joined him on the bench as soon as she saw him finish the call. "Who was that?"

Rick glanced at Kate. "Alexis. She's staying over at her friend Shelby's to help her with a last minute science project. She says hi by the way."

"That's nice of her," Kate commented, leaning into his side.

Rick nodded. "Yeah, it is."

"She's a good kid, Rick. You've raised her well."

He kissed the crown of her head, giving a shrug of his shoulders. "All I did was do my best with her and tried not to screw up too badly."

"She's turned out to be a smart, amazing, strong-willed young woman. You should be very proud."

Rick's arms wrapped tighter around Kate, pulling her close. "I am very proud."

Kate smiled, her chin now resting on his shoulder as she stared at him. He was so handsome. A bit of stubble was coming in and it brought her back to the good ol' days with their first few cases together.

Rick let out a sigh. Checking the time on his phone, he said, "It's getting late. We should go."

"Okay."

The two stood up, gathering their things and making their way back to the car while holding hands. Neither wore their shoes, hanging onto them instead.

"W-would you like to come over?" Rick wondered as they got into the Ferrari, tossing their things in the back seat. "I promise no funny business."

Kate shook her head, looking down. "I don't know if that would be a good idea, Rick...I should really go home."

Turning in his seat, he reached for Kate's hands. This made her look right at him. "Please, Kate," he begged. "I just want to spend more time with you. We can get a change of dry clothes and watch a movie together. Nothing else, I promise."

Kate weighed her options. She could go home alone, take a nice bubble bath and read a book. _Or_ she could be with Rick, watching a movie while cuddled on his couch. She bit her lip, thinking. Her mouth curved up. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Rick looked confused. "What?"

"Are we gonna sit here all night or are we going to get some dry clothes on and watch a movie?"

He beamed. Leaning over, Rick pecked Kate on the lips. "You're extraordinary."

"I know," she said as Rick started the vehicle, booking it for the loft.

* * *

><p>"You sure know how to show a girl a good time there, Mr. Castle," Kate laughed as they reached his floor.<p>

Rick chuckled, walking Kate to his loft. Both were still barefoot. Kate had taken out her bun allowing her hair to cascade down her shoulders in small waves. Rick's jacket hung on his forearm, his tie loose around his neck. His hair was plastered to his forehead. He opened his door, allowing Kate in first. She set her high heels and purse on a small table near the door. Rick closed the door and placed his shoes and other belonging by Kate's.

"Where's Martha?" Kate asked curiously, noting that the red-headed diva was nowhere in sight.

"Mother is out with some new man. She's been gone since yesterday afternoon...so, I don't think we'll be seeing much of her around here any time soon." Kate chuckled at that. He grabbed her hands, smiling. "I'll be in the shower. You are more than welcome to do the same. The guest shower is loaded with everything you'll need," Rick nodded toward the stairs. "And I'm sure Alexis will have some clothes you can borrow."

Kate reached up and cupped his cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Their lips met, both sighing into the kiss. It was short but sweet. "Now, get," Rick said, giving her a little push toward the stairs.

She gave him a look, the same look she had given him at _Sprinkles._ That smoky, haughty look. Rick gulped, nodding slightly before retreating to his bedroom. Stripping himself of his wet clothes, Rick turned the shower all they way to hot and stepped inside. The water pelted down, hitting his body. The burning hot water felt good on his skin. He quickly washed his hair, rinsing it out, bubbles spiraling down the drain.

Turning off the faucet, he got out and grabbed a towel, placing it around his waist. Making his way to the bedroom, he got a pair of clean boxers, gray sweats, and a white t-shirt. Changing quickly, he grabbed his wet clothes and went to the living room not seeing Kate. She must've been in the shower still because he could hear water running.

After putting his wet clothes in the laundry room, he heard his phone beep. Walking over to the front door, he picked up his phone from the small table and read the text message. Alexis had arrived at Shelby's safe and sound. He replied fast, telling her to have fun and that he'll see her tomorrow afternoon. Then Rick decide to get things set up for the movie. While the popcorn popped in the microwave, he put together a fort for the two of them, placing as many pillows and blankets in it as possible. It was very squishy and soft, a perfect balance.

Upon hearing footsteps on the stairs, Rick looked up to see Kate. Her hair was down, a bit curly from being wet. She had on a pair of Alexis' plaid pajama bottoms that ended at her ankles. The gray shirt she wore had the Batman logo on the front.

"Hello there," Rick greeted. "Feel better?"

Kate made it down the stairs. "Much better. A shower was just what I needed."

"Good!" The microwave beeped, signaling that the popcorn was ready.

Taking a deep breath, Kate asked, "Are you making popcorn? It smells good!"

"Yes, ma'am." Rick went over and opened the small door, taking out the popcorn and dumping it in the large bowl.

Kate meandered to the kitchen, leaning on the counter. Her arms braced against the cold marble. "So, what movie are we watching?"

Rick poked her in the nose gently. "That is up to you. I will watch whatever you'd like."

Kate peered over her shoulder to look at the fort he made and smiled. She saw the flat screen and all of the DVDs that covered the shelves. Trudging over, she knelt down and began skimming through her options. Wanting to pick the best movie possible, Kate took her time deciding.

Rick with the bowl of popcorn in hand, sunk down into the fort, making himself comfortable. He was just in reach of Kate. Raising a foot, he tapped her on the ass and then looked away as if he had no idea what just happened. "Rick..."

"What?" He asked, innocently.

She didn't turn around, her focus on the movies. "Did you just kick my butt?"

Stuffing his mouth with a handful of popcorn, he replied. "I have no know what you're talking about."

"Uh-huh, _sure._"

Rick giggled to himself, eating the popcorn a handful at a time. "Are you done yet?" He wined, kicking her gently on the ass a few more times.

"If you kick me _one_ more time I'm going home," she teased, reaching up to grab a DVD.

He immediately stopped, pulling his foot away. He mumbled, "Sorry." The detective put the disc in the DVD player and hit play, the previews starting. Climbing into the makeshift fort, Kate cuddled into Rick's side and began to eat some popcorn. "What are we watching?" He asked her, his arm over her shoulders.

Kate poked him in the side. "You'll find out soon enough, Mr. Impatient. It's a good one, I promise."

Rick tried his best to be patient but he couldn't, so he began tickling Kate's sides, trying to get her to spill. "Tell me!"

"Okay, _okay,_" she gasped, hitting his hands away. "Star Wars! We're watching Star Wars!"

"_You_ picked Star Wars?"

Kate snorted, catching her breath as she went back to hugging his side. "Duh. Who doesn't like Star Wars? It's a classic."

"You'd be surprised," he declared. "Okay, please tell me you picked the original. I love all six films but I'm not a very big fan of the prequels..."

"Yes, it's A New Hope. And I agree, it's the best one out of the six." Kate then grabbed a large handful of popcorn and shoved it all in Rick's mouth. "Now, shush it's starting."

* * *

><p><strong>There you go my dears! :) <strong>

**I hope you liked it! Please leave a review with your thoughts! They are always welcome! And who knows, if you review more y'all may get updates faster...hehehe. I am trying to get to at least 80+ reviews by the time I post the next chapter, so help me out peeps! lol. And if you don't mind spreading the word about this story that would be awesome and greatly appreciated! **

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey you guys! :)**

**I hope y'all have enjoyed this story so far! I've had so much fun writing it! :) Now, I struggled a lot with this chapter so I really hope that it turned out alright. If it totally sucks, let me know and I'll redo it. This chapter starts out happy but then it gets pretty heavy, so just a warning. And this is the first time I've ever done something this..._deep_. Please forgive me if it sucks. It'll still have the humor in it, but it's getting to the point where I want to have some serious parts in there, too.**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

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><p><strong>[Chapter 11]<strong>

"Oh, I love this scene!" Kate exclaimed, her eyes glued to the movie. Rick was shocked when Kate started to say the words along with the movie. She also did the little hand gesture. _"These aren't the droids you're looking for."_

Rick couldn't help but burst into laughter, knocking the now empty bowl of popcorn with his foot. Kate tore her gaze from the film, giving him a questioning look. "What? What's so funny?"

He couldn't stop laughing. He was clutching his sides gasping for air to enter his lungs. "Yo- you."

"Me? Why me?"

The writer finally calmed down enough to where he could speak complete sentences. Sitting up, Rick schooled his features and in a dry tone he said with the hand movement, "These aren't the droids you are looking for." Rick then fell back into his fit of laughter.

Kate was furious. Grabbing one of the many pillows that cluttered their fort, she began hitting him with it. And she wasn't doing it so lightly. She hit him on the face and on his sides. Kate moved over him to get a better angle, she ended up in a straddling position. Neither noticed though, too wrapped up in the pillow fight.

When Rick finally had enough, he grabbed her wrists and yanked the pillow from her hands, tossing it away from her. With both of Kate's wrists secured, he pulled her upper body down towards his.

"I'm sorry," Rick apologized, sincerity in his voice.

Kate took a calming breath, trying to regain her composure. "You should be."

"It was just so adorable, I couldn't help it. I had no idea you were such a big fan of Star Wars," he added with a smile. "You're full of secrets that I'm still discovering. What got you into Star Wars?"

She let out a big sigh. She just couldn't stay mad at him. "My dad got me into it a few years ago. But he's loved Star Wars since it first came out to theaters. And he's worse than I am at quoting it. He could probably quote all of the movies word for word if he wanted to..."

Rick smiled up at Kate as she talked about her dad. She was glowing and Rick was staring at her, studying her features.

"Rick?" She called.

No answer.

"Rick?" Kate said again, but still no reply. "_Castle!_"

"Hmm?" He hummed, coming out of his reverie.

"You were staring."

"So?" He retorted, eyebrow raised.

She released her hands from his and sat up straight, crossing her arms. A smug grin lay on her lips. "So, it's creepy."

That made him chuckle a deep, throaty laugh. "I'm having a sense of deja vu here."

Kate laughed, leaning down to kiss him on the lips. Rick smiled into the kiss, still surprised that kissing Kate was becoming a normal routine. He liked it!

Pulling away, Rick growled, "The Force is strong with this one."

Kate couldn't help but laugh at his statement. Tapping him on the chest, she asked, "Shall we continue the movie, Mr. Jedi Master?"

He just nodded, his eyes shining with joy. Kate got off his lap and snuggled into his side as they turned back to the movie.

* * *

><p>"Kate?" Rick called, shaking the woman on the shoulder. "Kate? Time to get up, sleepyhead. It's six in the morning."<p>

She slowly came through, digging her head into the pillow more not wanting to get up. "Let me sleep," she mumbled.

Rick shook her shoulder again. "But we have to go to the precinct today..."

She moaned into her pillow, hitting Rick's hand away. "I don't wanna."

He sighed. "I'm sorry that it's come down to this but seeing as I don't have any other choice..." Rick's hands soon found Kate's sides and he tickled her relentlessly.

She giggled, swatting at his hands trying to get away. "_Rick!_ Stop!"

He didn't. "Time to rise and shine! Let's go, go, _go!_"

"Okay! _Okay!_ I'm up!" She shrieked.

He pulled away, proudly smiling. "Good. Now, hurry up. We have to be at the precinct by nine."

Kate flopped back down into the cushions. A sudden realization hitting her. "Wait," she sat up. "I don't have a change of clothes. I can't go into work dressed like this."

Rick was in the kitchen getting the materials needed for pancakes. "Oh, right," he groaned. "Um...okay. After we finish eating, I'll go get dressed and then we can take a taxi to your place so you can change. And we'll go to the precinct. Problem solved."

She got up and went to the kitchen, sitting down at one of the bar stools. "Sounds good. But, uh, what about the pj's?" She asked, tugging on the Batman shirt.

He poured the batter. "Just wash them and bring them by when you can. It's not a big deal."

Kate nodded watching Rick attempt to make pancakes. He was struggling a bit with the pancake batter, getting it all over the place. "Alright move over, mister. Go get dressed, _I'll_ make breakfast." Kate shuffled over to the stove, unceremoniously shoving Rick out of the way and taking the spatula from him.

Rick shook his head in amusement. "Fine. I'm gonna take a shower real fast. Wanna look my best!" He called, winking at Kate as he disappeared into his bedroom.

A phone started ringing. Kate left her spot from the kitchen going toward the front door. Taking her phone out of her purse, she groaned when she saw who it was. "Hey, Lanie. How's it going?"

_"Uh-uh. Don't you ask me how's it going when you neglected to call me after your date with Writer Boy!"_

The detective sighed as she got back to the kitchen, flipping over the pancakes. "Sorry, Lan. I forgot, no need to get all crabby."

_"I'm not crabby. I'm just upset you didn't call,"_ the ME reasoned. _"Now, spill. Where did he take you? What did you eat? Did he pay?"_

"Whoa. Slow down, one question at a time," Kate instructed, pressing the phone so it's balanced between her cheek and shoulder, allowing her to use both hands. She proceeded to stack the pancakes on a plate.

_"Sorry, girl,"_ Lanie apologized. _"It's just that I've been waiting for you two to get together for a long time now and it finally happened!"_

"We're not together-together. We went on one date."

Lanie rolled her eyes. _"One date can change everything. Kate, that man is crazy about you! And you him! I've seen the way he looks at you. He took you out on a date last night; he brought you roses, you two flirt constantly, and you give him those same looks he gives you! Just admit you feel the same way."_

Kate ran a hand through her hair, trying to get her thoughts sorted out. "H-how do I tell him?"

_"Just be honest with him, sweetie. Look, I gotta go but how about we meet for lunch? And then you can tell me all about your date, okay?"_

The detective took a deep breath. "Okay. See you then, Lanie."

_"And perk up, girlfriend! Nobody likes a Debbie-downer!"_ Lanie hung up, leaving Kate standing there in the kitchen with a thousand thoughts running through her head.

"Be honest with him. Be honest with him," she repeated over and over again. "How hard can it be?"

Kate's mind went back to their date last night and how much fun she had, a smile began to grow on her lips. She could do this. Setting her phone down, she went to the refrigerator to get the carton of eggs out.

* * *

><p>Rick emerged about twenty minutes later donning a simple blue plaid shirt that had the first few buttons undone. His jeans fit him nicely, showing off the lean muscles underneath. His hair was still a little wet in a few places.<p>

The smell of pancakes and eggs invaded his nostrils. "Mmm. Something smells good," he moaned as he arrived to the kitchen. "You made eggs?"

"Yes, I did," she smiled softly when he came over to kiss her on the cheek. "They should be done any minute."

Rick snuck over to grab a pancake from the large stack, taking a large bite from the pancake. He didn't even bother to grab a plate. "This is delicious. You're quite the little chef."

Kate turned around to face him, scrapping the scrambled eggs from the pan to another plate. "My mom was an amazing cook. She'd always get up early on the weekends to make me and my dad breakfast. We'd have scrambled eggs, waffles, bacon, you name it."

Rick finished his pancake, licking his lips. "Well, you've certainly inherited her cooking abilities. I can't remember the last time I had a pancake quite that good." He then got another one, eating it plain and without a fork or knife.

She smiled, grabbing herself a pancake and placing it on a plate. Kate sat next to Rick as she reached for the syrup, drowning her pancake with it. "Well, they taste a lot better with syrup, you know."

He looked at her, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. Rick gave a nervous chuckle, chewing the pancake. "Sorry," he said ashamed as he got himself a plate and began to eat like a normal human being.

They ate in silence. Kate stole a peek at the man next to her. _It's now or never,_ she thought, taking a bite of a pancake. Before she could say anything, another voice in her head spoke. _But what if he's not ready? What then?_

She took a leap of faith, needing to know. "Rick?"

He looked up from his plate. "Yeah?"

Kate locked eyes with him. Her tone serious, "What are we doing?"

"Uh, we're eating breakfast...?"

Kate rolled her eyes and smiled. "No, I mean what are we? Are we friends? Partners? What?" He went to reply but Kate kept talking. "Because during our date last night, I realized something...I want to be more than friends and partners." She grabbed his hands, squeezing them. "I'm ready to dive into this with you, Rick. That wall is down. But I don't want to do this if you're not in it completely. I'm-"

She was silenced with Rick's lips on hers. He put everything he could into the kiss, trying to tell Kate without using words. She got the message. Kissing him back, Kate placed a hand at the back of his neck and tugged him closer. Rick's hands found refuge on either side of her face, cupping her cheeks. A throaty moan escaped Kate's lips, sending vibrations to Rick's mouth.

They eventually had to stop, needing oxygen in their lungs. "You sure do talk a lot," he breathed, his head shaking in amusement. "I'm ready for this, Kate. I've been ready, but I knew that you weren't so I waited. And I'll wait even longer if I have to because you're it. There is no one else. Only you."

She lunged from her seat and tackled Rick in a huge hug which he gladly reciprocated.

Rick pulled back to look her in the eye. "Now, does that answer your question?" He wondered, stroking Kate's cheek with the pad of his thumb.

Kate nodded. _Be honest, be honest,_ she chanted over and over again in her head. It was time to tell him.

She took a deep breath, her brown-green eyes locked to his sea blue ones. "Rick, I-I remember. _Everything._"

His eyes grew wide at her confession. Kate sat there waiting for a response, an unsure expression on her face.

"Y-you remember?" She nodded, looking down at her lap. He stood up, removing Kate from his arms. Taking a few steps away, he paced back and forth. "All this time, you remembered and yet you didn't say anything. Why Kate? If you felt the same then why didn't you tell me?" His voice was shaky but his point was made.

She looked up. "I didn't say anything because I didn't know if you actually felt the same way or you just said it because I was dying in your arms and it was a spur of the moment kind of thing. Rick, I was scared."

"_No,_ you don't know what being scared is like!" He yelled, his anger showing. "I saw you die in that ambulance, Kate! I had just confessed my undying love for you and then you were gone. I didn't think I'd ever see you again. Do you have any idea how I felt? What I was going through during those three months that you refused to talk to me?"

Kate stepped toward him. "My captain was murdered. I was shot in the chest at _his_ funeral. A man whom I love had poured out his feelings for me and the guy who shot me had escaped. What was I supposed to do? I was confused and I needed time for myself, to figure out what I wanted. That's why I didn't call you, Rick. I needed to sort my life out."

"I could've helped you!" He defended. His angry features disappearing and being replaced by his sadness. "I wanted to help you..." his voice was sinking, his feelings flooding out. He stumbled to the couch, leaning on the edge.

Kate moved over to him, placing a comforting hand at the back of his head, stroking the hair at the nape of his neck. "You _did_ help. You came back, even though I shut you out of my life. You've been there for me and you've helped me out more than you will ever know. I'm sorry that I kept this from you, but I just wasn't ready."

Rick wrapped Kate up in a fierce hug, the floodgates opening up. He sobbed into her shoulder, his breath coming out in small gasps. Kate couldn't help but cry with him, her arms wrapped securely over his shoulders never letting go.

"Rick, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she whispered in his ear, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I love you."

He hiccuped, the tears eventually ceasing. "I love you, Kate. Don't leave me. Not again."

"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

He didn't know what to do. Kate had just confessed her love for him. She'd lied about not remembering. But she told him and that was enough. He was keeping a secret from her, too. A bigger secret. He needed to be honest, just like she was. _I__t's now or never, _he thought.

"Kate..." he whispered, his breath hitched. "I n-need to show you something." Without waiting for a response, he stood up and gently pulled her to his study. He let go of her hand and moved behind his desk.

"Rick? W-what's going on?" She looked so small, so vulnerable. Kate had her arms crossed over her middle, hugging herself. A lone tear remained on her cheek.

He grabbed a remote from a drawer in his desk. Instead of answering, he hit a button and the TV in the room turned on. Kate's picture appeared on the screen. Rick tapped the screen, more pictures popped out along with notes. "I've been working on this since the summer." He could hear her take an intake of breath. Kate moved at a snail's pace to the screen, her eyes scanning it. He had been working on her mother's case behind her back.

She looked at Rick, new tears forming in her eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>And there ya go! <strong>

**I hope that it turned out alright...like I said above, I'm trying to go a different route with this. Please leave your thoughts! I gotta know what you thought of this. I'm gonna go hide in a corner now. Until next time!  
><strong>

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello all! :)  
><strong>

**I just have to say that the response to the last chapter was awesome! I'm glad y'all really liked it! As a writer, it makes me happy to know that my work is being enjoyed. Thank you so much! Now, there's gonna be a bit more drama in here but then we'll get to the fluff, I promise. After they sort things out, of course.**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 12]<strong>

Rick watched her as she looked over everything on the screen. He sighed, setting the remote on his desk. "Kate..." he whispered, his eyes filling with tears once again.

Kate couldn't handle it anymore. "I need some air," she breathed, moving for the door. She was running away again. And Rick knew better than to run after her, so he let her go. He slumped down in his chair, raking his hands through his hair and tears spilling from his eyes.

He'd been working on her mother's case behind her back for a while now, even though he told her to leave it alone. He'd brought this all on himself.

Kate ran through the front door, shutting it and ending up in the hallway. She slid down the wall, crying and trying to get her breathing under control. Kate wiped at her cheeks, attempting to get rid of the tears but it was useless.

She found herself whispering "why?" over and over again. _Why_ would he do this? _Why_ is fighting a battle that's not his to fight? _Why_ would he put himself through all of that? _Why_ didn't he say anything?

She sighed, already knowing the answer to all of the questions: love. That's all there is to it. He did it because he loves her. It's the same reason why she didn't tell him she remembered. Both of them lied to protect the other. A lot of good that did.

Kate leaned her head back, staring at the ceiling. New tears spilled down her cheeks. Her chest heaved with every intake of breath. What was she going to do? What were _they_ going to do?

Communicate. They needed to talk, work things through. They've never been good at talking and expressing their feelings, but it's better late than never. They needed to talk. No point in delaying it. They've been burying things too long and it was time to come clean.

She stood up and moved in front of the door, realizing that it was partially open already. She must've not closed it all the way when she ran out. Her hand froze on the handle briefly, debating her options. She finally plucked up the courage and stepped through the threshold.

Rick looked up from his hands when he heard the front door close. She didn't run away, she came back. Back to him.

He stood up and left his study to find her standing at the entryway. Eyes locking, Kate let out a hiccup and Rick lost it. He ran to her, picking her up in a huge hug. Fresh tears started to fall, both crying into each others shoulders. They stood there, enveloped in each others arms for a few minutes; not being able to let go quite yet. Rick's arms were around Kate's waist and her arms were around his neck. They cried into each other's shoulders, both trying to get a hold on everything that had just happened between them.

"K-Kate?" He murmured some time later, sniffling. Her arms tightened around him, knowing what was about to happen. "I need to explain. If you'll let me..."

She nodded furiously into his shoulder. They broke apart but not for long. With his left arm encircled around her waist, he led her back to his study. She stayed hidden into his side, crying.

He'd never seen her so broken, so _small_. Rick helped her sit down on the sofa, grabbing each of them some tissues. Kate blew her nose. He towered over her.

"I'm going to make some coffee. I'll be back," he stated.

Kate nodded, unable to speak at the moment. Rick kissed her on the forehead, his lips lingering. Pulling back, he left.

She was alone. Kate hesitantly looked over at the board, curling herself up into a ball on the couch. Her eyes studying what he has written down. One question popping out at her. _Who Hired The Sniper?_

She was still in shock that he's been investigating even though he told her to let it go. She was aching to know what all he's found out but she's terrified. Because once she starts up with it again she'll end up going down that rabbit hole. And that is definitely not a place she wants to be in. It's not a place she wants him to be in either. At least, not alone.

Rick reentered the room, shutting the door behind him. He handed Kate a mug, the ceramic warming up her icy cold fingers in an instant. She took a tentative sip, the scalding coffee burning her tongue.

He glanced at the screen. He didn't know where to begin. So many different thoughts were scrambled in his brain, he couldn't tell up from down. And now he was going to explain to Kate what he's found? Oh, boy...

"H-how often have you worked on it?" Kate asked, timid.

Rick didn't even consider lying. He's done enough of that. "I've been working on it on and off. I'm still, uh, adding stuff," he admitted, his hands shaking around his own mug.

Kate just nodded, biting her lip. Rick couldn't read her at all, she was masking her feelings well.

"I've been in contact with a man by the name of Smith. He's an old friend of Montgomery."

At his words, she shivered. Memories of her fallen Captain unmoving on the floor in that hangar flooding her head. She shut her eyes and looked away, reliving the memory.

Rick sat on the edge of his desk, looking down at his hands. He cleared his throat, looking for the right words. "He, um...he told me that as long as you don't go digging into your mother's case then y-you won't be touched. You'll be safe."

Kate sought out Rick's eyes; he glanced up, feeling her eyes on him. "T-then why are you putting yourself through this? Rick, I don't want you to do this without me," her voice cracked. He wanted to say something, but he can sense that she's not finished, so he bit his tongue. "You-you're not a cop. You don't have a badge, you don't have a gun, you don't have anything to protect yourself."

Rick let out a sigh, taking a sip of the coffee. Even the calmness of the liquid isn't helping him right now.

"You can't be doing this on your own," Kate concluded. She wanted to protect him so much it hurt. "It's too dangerous, Rick. It's too dangerous..."

Her eyes were closed, she was struggling. Rick crossed over to her, joining her on the sofa. "I can't...I can't lose you, too," she finally said.

He immediately engulfed her in a hug. "You won't lose me, Kate. Not now, not ever."

His arms were wrapped around her waist, drawing her into him and cradling her to his chest. She's balled into his chest, her tears seeping through his shirt. Rick planted a kiss into her hair, speechless.

"W-why are you putting yourself into danger? Why are you risking your life f-for me?" She mumbled, gripping onto him tightly.

"Because I love you," he answered, his voice low. "And I don't want those bastards after you. If I solve this then you'll be free; you won't have that target on your back. And your mother will finally get the justice she deserves."

Kate shook her head. "But if you keep investigating like you have been and they find out, you'll be targeted. And I can't have that, Rick. I just can't."

He didn't know what else to say. Rick held her tightly to his chest, his hands moving up and down her back. Taking a quick glance at the board, he shut his eyes.

Kate was right. If he continues with this and they find out, he'll be targeted. But it wouldn't be just him. Alexis and Martha could be too. He shivered at the thought of it.

And as if she was reading hi mind, Kate began to talk again. "Thin-think about Martha and Alexis, Rick. If those bastards find out you're..." she trailed off, shaking.

Kate hit the nail on the head. He couldn't continue on with the case knowing that his mother and daughter could be potential targets as well. He needed to step back from it and focus on what truly matters. Not that the case didn't matter, but it could definitely be put on hold for the time being.

Untangling Kate from his arms, Rick stood up and grabbed the remote from his desk. He clicked the off button, turning the TV screen black. Placing the remote back in the desk drawer, he returned to Kate. She gave him a puzzled look. "We will solve it, together...just not today," Rick answered upon seeing her expression.

Sitting down, he tangled himself with Kate once more. Her lips found his in a heartbeat. They molded together, mouths dancing. Kate's hands tangled in his hair while tears spilled down her cheeks. Rick reached up and wiped them away, their mouths still connected.

Kate broke the kiss. She stared at him. "Thank you, Rick."

His heart threatened to beat out of his chest he was happy and relieved. His voice got caught in his throat. "Always."

* * *

><p><strong>And there ya go, folks!<strong>

**I hope you liked it! Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments! I'll try to post the next chapter when I can! So hopefully in the next few days. Love you guys! And thank you so much for all of your love and support! Until next time!  
><strong>

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello!**

**I am super glad y'all liked the last chapter! You guys are awesome! ****Now, I'm trying not to stretch out the drama too far but I just love writing it so I'll still have a bit here and there. I'm gonna get back into the fluff though :) hopefully it turns out alright! Thank you so much for everything! You guys rock my socks off!**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ isn't mine :/**

* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 13]<strong>

"Are we okay?" Rick mumbled against Kate's hair, his hot breath tickling her.

She looked up at him. "We're better than okay," she reassured, bringing his head down with her hands and kissing him.

He grinned into the kiss, beaming. "No more secrets?" He questioned, his lips ghosting over hers.

"No more secrets," Kate echoed. "Now shut up and kiss me."

"I can do that," and his lips attached to Kate's in a sweet, long kiss. He moaned when she bit his bottom lip. Her hands raked through his hair, her fingers threading through it.

"Does this mean I get to call you my girlfriend now?" Rick asked hopefully with a laugh after they pulled apart, both smiling.

Kate chuckled at him, her hands moving down and roaming his chest. "Only if I get to call you my boyfriend."

He pretended to think about it, teasing Kate. "Deal."

And their lips connected once again, both extremely happy with how much progress they made in such a short period of time. Now that their secrets were out, they could finally be with one another. They were finally whole.

Kate and Rick eventually had to get ready for the day. It was nearing eight-thirty and they had to be in the precinct by nine. And with the trip to Kate's apartment, it would take some time.

Rick put on a different shirt, this one a light blue collared button-down. The one he had on before had tear stains covering the chest and was all crinkled. They grabbed a taxi to Kate's apartment to get her a change of clothes; both feeling like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. They sat extra close in the cab, not wanting to be too far away from one another. Things were definitely starting to look up.

Kate quickly got dressed, donning a pair of dark jeans that fit nicely to her toned legs. She wore a basic blue button-down with the first buttons undone. Her feet were covered with her signature four inch high heels. She left her hair down in simple curls that framed her face. Her face was, thankfully, no longer red from all of the crying earlier.

The duo had stopped by their usual coffee shop on the way to the precinct. Kate and Rick were on the elevator heading up to the Homicide floor. Their proximity was as close as they could possibly get. Both were relieved and it definitely showed in their attitudes. Kate pressed a quick kiss to Rick's cheek before the double doors opened to reveal the bullpen.

He grinned and followed her to the desk. "Good morning, boys!" Rick greeted when he saw Ryan and Esposito playing catch with a baseball at their desks. They were leaning back in their chairs, looking completely bored.

Kate smiled at them, powering her computer on. She quickly logged in and waited for the desktop to load. "How was your weekend you two?" She asked, taking a sip of her luke warm coffee.

They both shrugged. "Eh, it was okay. Didn't do much," Esposito answered, tossing the ball to Ryan.

Ryan caught it, throwing it up to himself. "Jenny and I painted our apartment the entire weekend. I still have paint all over me; some places I didn't even know paint could get."

Rick laughed at that, trying to cover it up by drinking his coffee. Kate glanced at him and smirked, her eyes shining. She quickly turned back to her computer, needing to focus.

"How was your weekend, Beckett?" Esposito asked, curious.

"It was fine. Just a normal weekend like any other," she responded, not giving away how much fun she actually had. "Got some grocery shopping done." Rick smirked at her, silently applauding her for her calm demeanor.

The boys noticed this little look and gave one another a questioning expression. It was mutually decided to not say anything about it. _Yet._

Captain Gates emerged from her office upon hearing Rick and Kate. "Detective Beckett, Mr. Castle. Nice of you two to join us."

"Morning, Sir," Kate greeted, dryly.

"Good Morning, Captain. You're looking lovely today," Rick stated, grinning like a madman.

The Captain merely raised a single eyebrow, shooting daggers at Rick who immediately crouched in his seat. Kate couldn't help but smirk at him, always trying to be a kiss-up.

Gates peered over at Ryan and Esposito as they played catch. "You may not have an on-going case at the moment but there is still paperwork that needs to be finished. Play times over, Detectives. Back to work."

Ryan and Esposito solemnly nodded, putting the baseball away and getting to work. They each had massive piles of manila envelopes in bins on their desks that needed to be completed. Gates gazed on for a minute before retreating into her office. She slammed the door closed, the blinds smacking against the windows.

Rick thumbed back at Gates. "Wonder what's going on with her," he mused. "She seems cranky."

Kate shrugged, whispering, "When is she never_ not_ cranky?"

"True," he smiled, winking at Kate. She returned the smile before going back to her work.

Rick watched her, a satisfied grin appearing on his lips. He was still in shock at what had been discovered this morning. Everything did go down hill at first but once they talked and had the chance to explain their actions, it could only get better from here forward.

He, if he was being completely honest with himself, was still in awe that Kate feels the same way. Kate Beckett loves him! She actually _loves_ him. And he loves her. He had on that signature goofy grin, unable to wipe it off. He was floating on air.

"Rick," Kate whispered her eyes on the paper in front of her.

"Hmm?"

"Get that silly grin off your face. Espo and Ryan might get suspicious."

Too late. The duo in question would peek over at the couple with seeking eyes. They knew something was different, they just didn't know what. But they were going to find out.

Rick tried to school his features. "Sorry. I can't help it. I'm just so happy."

Kate couldn't resist. "Me too. But we have to be careful, okay? I kind of want this to be our little secret."

An eyebrow rose. More secrets? "Interesting...our little secret. Our _dirty_ little secret." He paused for a moment, "Okay, I'm in."

Kate shot him a quick wink. "Good. Now behave."

Rick leaned in closer. "Ordering me around there, Beckett?"

"Maybe," she teased. Her tone was completely different from her body language. Her voice was sexy and haughty but her body was calm and unsuspecting. Damn she's good.

"Mmm," he bit back a groan. "It's quite...the turn on."

* * *

><p>A few hours had passed and before they knew it, it was noon. And that meant time for lunch. Kate's cell phone rang not a minute later. Picking it up without seeing who it was, she answered, "Beckett."<p>

_"Hey, girl. You ready for lunch?"_ Lanie asked on the other line.

Kate grinned. "Hey. I sure am. Where would you like to go?"

Rick watched her as she spoke on the phone._ Where is she going? And with who?_ he wondered, a hint of jealousy creeping up on him.

"Okay, sounds good. I'm leaving now."

_"Hurry up! I'm starving!"_ Lanie complained.

Kate rolled her eyes and hung up with a quick "Bye". Grabbing her keys and her wallet, she stood up. "I'll be back later. I'm having lunch with Lanie."

Rick sighed, relieved. Lanie. She was going to lunch with Lanie. "Oh, okay. I guess it's just me and the boys then," he whined, sinking in his seat.

Kate whispered, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was going to let you know earlier but with everything this morning..."

The writer raised hand, stopping her. "I understand," he reassured. "So where are you two lovely ladies going...without me?"

"Remy's. I should be back in about an hour." Kate turned to the boys. "Hey, I'll see you guys later. I'm going to lunch with Lanie."

She received a joint reply. "Bye, Beckett."

"I'll walk you out," Rick offered, standing up.

The two made the short trip from Kate's desk to the elevator. He pressed the button for her, neither speaking. A ding came and so did the elevator; the doors opened and she stepped inside.

"I'll see you in an hour," she smiled, hitting the button that took her to the main lobby.

"Bye, Kate," Rick said, a little down that she was going to be gone.

"Perk up, Ricky. I'll be back," Kate stated with a smoky look. "I promise." The doors closed.

He ran a hand through his hair and headed back to the boys. Pulling up a chair he smiled at them. "Looks like it's just me and you fellas."

* * *

><p><strong>And there you go folks! :)<strong>

**I hope you guys liked it! Lanie and Kate's lunch date will be in the next chapter! I'll try to update when I can! Thank you all for your love and support! Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello! :)**

**Thanks for all your love y'all! You guys are so supportive & sweet! I can't thank you enough!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ isn't mine :/**

* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 14]<strong>

Kate walked down the street on her way to Remy's. She thought back to her conversation with Rick earlier. The weight of her secret was off of her shoulders, finally. She was glowing she was so happy. They made it, they finally made it.

The detective reached the restaurant, Lanie was waiting outside. "I've been waiting forever, miss slow poke," the ME whined.

"Hello to you, too. And it took me like five minutes, Lan," Kate argued, opening the door.

Lanie was right behind her. "Five minutes is a lifetime in my world." The two found an empty booth by the window. Lanie slid into the seat on one side, Kate on the other.

"And what world is that exactly?" Kate mused, grinning.

Lanie glared at her friend. "Oh shush."

"Hello, ladies. How are you doing on this fine day?" Judy asked as she reached their table, hands on her hips.

Kate and Lanie smiled sweetly at the older woman. "We're doing great, Judy. How are you?" Kate asked being polite as ever.

"Oh, I'm grand, sweetheart. Where's that handsome partner of yours?" She mused.

Kate giggled. "He's back at the precinct. Can't have him interrupting us. Girl talk."

Judy perked up. "Oh, I see. It wouldn't happen to be about Rick, would it? I'm sorry if this is overstepping but you two sure did seem to get along Friday night with your little race and all that."

Kate smiled as she thought back to their milkshake race. "Race?" Lanie asked looking confused and rather interested. "What race?" She was about to explain but Judy beat her to it. The older woman was just so excited.

"Oh, they had a milkshake race. It was the cutest thing!"

Kate nodded with a smile. "He didn't stand a chance."

"So, what can I get you two?" Judy asked, changing the subject as she whipped out her pen and notepad.

Lanie answered first. "I'll have the Gourmet Burger. But can I get it without onions and tomatoes, please?"

"Of course," Judy nodded, writing the order down. "Anything to drink?"

"Water's fine."

"Okay. And for you, honey?" She turned to Kate.

"I'll have the same but with a side of steak fries," Kate ordered, still smiling.

Judy wrote it all down. "Alright. I'll have those out for you soon!"

"Thanks, Judy," Kate thanked as they watched the woman head to the kitchen.

Lanie immediately stared at Kate as soon as Judy left. "Okay, spill."

Kate smirked at Lanie's eagerness. "Shall I start from the beginning?"

"Duh."

Kate took a deep breath. "Okay, so on Friday night we came here for a late dinner. He asked what my plans were for the weekend and I told him, not thinking anything of it. He then invited himself to go grocery shopping with me on Saturday. And then we had that milkshake race Judy mentioned."

"Mmhmm," Lanie hummed, her arms crossed as she leaned back against the booth, making herself comfortable.

"We made a bet that whoever finished first won and the winner got to pick where we went to lunch after we finished shopping. I kicked his sorry ass," Kate gloated with a smile. "But Mr. Sore Loser couldn't stand losing. He claimed I cheated. So, he ultimately got to pick where we went to lunch."

Lanie shook her head, chuckling. Rick was such a little drama queen, always had to be first or he'd pout about it. "Where did you go? Somewhere fancy?"

"Not exactly..."

"Oh boy. Where'd that man drag you?"

Kate paused for effect. "_The Jolly Roger_."

Lanie gave her an are-you-kidding-me-look. "Isn't that the place with screaming kids and obnoxious waiters dressed like pirates?"

Kate scratched the back of her neck. "Yes. It was actually quite fun surprisingly. They have this ball pit-"

Lanie leaned forward, hands bracing the table. "You didn't go in it, did you?" Kate just shrugged, biting her lip. "You _did!_ Kate, that place is filthy! The morgue is cleaner."

"I- it was fun!" She defended, playing with the salt shaker absentmindedly. "I even pushed Rick into it but he caught my arm as he was falling and dragged me down with him..."

"He probably didn't want to go down alone," Lanie commented, smiling.

"Yeah. _Oh,_" she grinned, her eyes sparkling. "The best part was when we got out of the pit. He was hunting me down in the arcade area. It took him a bit, but he finally reached me, coming up behind me."

Lanie shook her head in disappointment. "Not a smart move, Writer Boy. Not a smart-" The ME then paused for a moment, putting two and two together. "Wait, is that why his eye was all bruised and black when he picked you up last night?" Kate just grinned, causing Lanie to burst out in laughter. People around them stared at the commotion, giving weird looks.

"He snuck up on me. I mean, what was I supposed to do?" Kate asked, the question hypothetical.

"Poor Castle," Lanie joked, finally calm from her laugh attack. "At least you know it'll never happen again."

"Knowing him, it will."

"I'm guessing he was a big cry baby about it?" Lanie wondered, still laughing here and there.

"He wasn't as bad as you'd think. I got him some ice and then he was fine," she smirked. "Luckily, the swelling has gone down and it's not as dark as before, he'll be back to his old goofy self in no time."

Lanie smiled at her friend, loving spending time with her. "Okay, so how was your date last night? And where'd he take you? Not _The Jolly Roger_, again?"

"No, we didn't go back there." Kate set her arms on the table, crossing them. "Where we went was incredible, Lan. We had the best time," she sighed, reminiscing. "It's this new place called _Marlowe's_. By far one of the most romantic restaurants I've ever been to."

"Oh, I've heard of that place! I read about it in the New York Times. It got outstanding reviews."

Kate hummed in response to Lanie's comment. "And get this; he got us our own private room with a beautiful view of all of New York. It was gorgeous. Just stunning."

Lanie smiled at Kate as she continued with her story. She couldn't have been happier for them. Those two finally went out on a date! It was about damn time!

"Then for desert we went to that cupcake shop by Central Park," Kate went on.

"_Sprinkles_? That place is so cool!" Lanie lit up. "I've taken my niece there plenty of times. And their cupcakes..."

"Are to die for!" Kate sighed, continuing on with Lanie's train of thought. "Rick was able to get the place to ourselves."

"Let me guess, he knows a guy?"

Kate nodded. "That he does. He has guys everywhere."

Judy walked up to the table, their orders in her hands. "Hope I'm not interrupting girl talk but here are your burgers. And I'll go grab those waters real fast." She set down the burgers in front of the two women.

Lanie waved her off. "You're not interrupting, Judy. This smells amazing by the way," she added, rubbing her hands together.

Judy smiled, running over to the kitchen to get their drinks; she was back in a jiffy. "There you go. Sorry for the long wait, we get pretty busy during lunch time."

"Don't worry," Kate smiled, reaching for a fry. "We didn't mind the wait," she informed Judy, eating the salty treat.

"Okay, well holler if you need anything," Judy told them with a wink before leaving.

Lanie took a bite of her burger, a moan leaving her lips. "Man, I haven't had one of these in a long time! They're as good as I remember."

Kate nodded, sipping her water. "Best burgers in town."

Lanie with her mouth full prodded Kate for more information about her date. "So, what happened after _Sprinkles_?"

She raised a finger; she was chewing on a bite of her burger and didn't want to talk with a ton of food in her mouth. "Well," she began, swallowing. "What happened after was all my doing." Kate waggled her eyebrows up and down in a teasing manner.

The ME gasped her jaw dropping. "_You had sex?_" She exclaimed, heads turning in their direction.

Kate's eyes grew wide in astonishment. She hastily raised a finger to her mouth. "_Shhh!_ Keep your voice down! People are staring."

"Sorry," Lanie mumbled, mouth still full. "But you had sex? With Castle?"

"_No!_ We did not have sex! On the first date? Really? Come on, Lanie, you know me better than that."

Lanie nervously chuckled, swallowing her food. "So, if you didn't have sex, what did you do?"

Arms crossed, Kate was solid and strong. "I'm not sure if I should tell you now..."

That left Lanie with one option: beg.

"Please! I won't say another word. Promise," Lanie said, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout.

"I don't know...I'm kind liking this whole begging thing. It's a new thing for you."

Lanie scowled at Kate and shook her head. "You're cruel, you know that?"

"Calm down, Lanie. I'm just teasing. You're my best friend, of course I'll tell you."

"You better..." Lanie warned, stealing a couple fries from Kate's plate.

The detective went back to her story. "I took him to Heckscher Playground and we went to the water park area with the sprinklers and fountains. He didn't see it coming. By the end of it we were soaked from head to toe; it was the best date I've ever been on."

Lanie felt a huge smile tugging on her lips. "Aw, that's so romantic. You two are too adorable for you own good, you know that? Good Lord." Kate began to blush, her entire face turning scarlet. She timidly bit her lip, unconsciously twirling a lock of hair. "Look at you," she commented upon seeing Kate blush and twirl her hair. "You're smitten for Castle. Honey, please tell me you told that man how you feel."

She could only nod, her mind reliving what had occurred between them this morning.

Lanie patiently waited for more but she didn't get anything else. Kate was lost in her own little world. "Kate? What did he say when you told him?"

The detective hesitated, her eyes casting down to her half eaten burger. A smile sat on her lips. "He loves me, too." Kate decided on not bothering to tell Lanie about the whole secrets coming out fiasco since the two had worked it out and it was in the past. But if she were to ask, Kate wouldn't lie to her about it.

Her friend squealed at her words, sliding out of her own booth to crush Kate in a fierce hug. "Finally!" She sighed, her arms wrapped tight around Kate.

"Uh, L-Lan?" Kate breathed, choking on air. "I-I can't...breathe."

She immediately released her vice-like grip, oxygen finding its way back into Kate's lungs. "Sorry, girl. I'm just so happy for you," Lanie apologized, remaining next to Kate. "So, does this mean you two are like together now?"

Kate bit her lip in thought. Should she tell Lanie or keep it a secret between her and Rick for a while? She let out a breath of air, preparing herself for the screaming that was about to take place. "Yes, we're-" Kate couldn't finish what she was saying because Lanie squealed and went in for another hug. The ME's strong grip was unrelenting; Kate gave up and hugged her friend back. She made a mental note to let Rick know that Lanie knows about them.

Judy came up whilst the women were hugging. "What's all the commotion over here? Somebody's happy."

Lanie whipped around to face Judy. "They _finally_ got together!" She cheered, giggling and moving back to her own seat.

Judy lit up at the news. She clapped her hands together. "Oh, that's wonderful news! It's about time if I do say so myself."

Kate laughed at the two women who began to talk animatedly about how the couple has been dancing about their feelings for years now and that it was about time they got together officially. It was an amusing sight. Kate decided to use this time to text Rick, see how he's doing.

_Hope the boys are being gentle. I told Lanie about us, I hope that's ok. You can tell Tweedle-Dee & Tweedle-Dum if you'd like. I'll be back soon. -KB_

She focused her attention back to the other women, a smile remaining on her lips. Judy and Lanie were still talking, but this time about Lanie's work and her love life. Kate sat there smiling, happy. Happier than she's been in a long time. And she couldn't wait to get back to her man. _Oh, boy. Rick Castle is my man, _she thought, grinning. _He's mine._

"Kate? Hello?" Lanie called, waving a hand in front of her face.

She shook her head and gazed at Lanie. "Hmm? You say something?"

Lanie glanced at Judy with a knowing smile. The older woman crossed her arms over her chest, having way too much fun with this. Lanie nudged Kate in the shoulder. "You kind of zoned out on us there. A certain writer consuming your thoughts?"

Kate flat out denied it. "No, not at all."

They didn't buy it for a second. "_Sure_...whatever you say, sweetheart," Judy stated, neither of them believing the detective.

Her phone beeped, signaling a new text message. Opening her phone she saw that it was from the man of the hour.

_They know about us. Boys hounded me for questions & it kinda slipped. I'm hiding out in the break room, please come back ASAP. -RC_

Kate quickly replied as the two women looked on, both interested in what the lovebirds were discussing.

_Be back soon. Sorry about them :( I'll come save you_

She got an immediate reply. _Hurry!_

Lanie winked at Kate, letting her know that they were just teasing and having fun. "What did Writer Boy say?"

"What makes you think it was him? It could've been my dad or one of the boys."

Lanie raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, because you smile like that when you talk to the boys or your dad. Come on girl, you're in love!"

Kate sighed, shrugging. She had a small smile tugging on her lips, Lanie was right. She was so very much in love and it showed. Judy gave her an understanding look, "okay, we'll stop teasing you, dear. But just know that we really are happy for you and Rick. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you two are adorable and I'm thrilled that you got your acts together."

"Thank you, Judy. That means a lot, really," Kate said sincerely.

"Alright, can I clear this for you?" Judy asked, wiping her hands on a towel that was hooked in the pocket of her apron. Lanie and Kate both grabbed their now empty plates and handed them off to the waitress. "Would you like to see our desert menu? Or you all set?"

"We're all set. We actually have to get going," Lanie said, glancing at her watch.

Kate added on. "Yeah, Rick is being harassed by the boys and I have to go rescue him."

Judy nodded, wiping down their table with her free hand, their plates in her other hand. "That's alright. I've got your check right here," and Judy pulled it out of her apron pocket, setting it on the table. "You two ladies have a great day!"

"You too," they chorused, each getting out their wallets. Judy left, walking to the back. Kate and Lanie paid for their lunch, grabbing their things and heading out.

"I had fun, Lan," Kate said once they got outside. "But I gotta go take care of the man-child."

Lanie yanked Kate into a hug. "We really need to hang out more often. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Sounds good." They each started in opposite directions on their way back to work. "And next time let's talk about _your_ love life for a change!" Kate called with a laugh.

Lanie just waved a hand over her head, not turning around. Kate chuckled, walking back to the precinct. It was definitely nice to have some girl time, but now she had to go take care of her man. Help him escape the boys and their big brother protectiveness.

She sighed, poor Rick.

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><p><strong>And there you have it folks! :)<strong>

**Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments! I'll have the boys and Rick's lunch time up next where our favorite writer is asked a couple of questions. Until next time!**

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	15. Chapter 15

**Hi guys! :)  
><strong>

**I'm keeping this AN short. I just wanted to say thank you for all of your support! You guys rock! And I am so happy that the email alerts are working again! :) haha**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

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><p><strong>[Chapter 15]<strong>

Ryan and Esposito gave one another a look when Rick sat down with them. It was time for the writer to spill. Rolling their chairs over to the writer, the two detectives glared at him, studying him.

"Uh, guys. A little breathing room would be awesome. Thanks." Rick scooted his chair back, but they just followed him.

"We have a few questions for you, Castle," Esposito explained, his forearms resting on his knees.

Ryan continued on, flanking Rick's other side and trapping him. "Nothing too hard or difficult. We're just curious."

Rick shifted in his seat, sensing the determination that the men had. _This is not good,_ he gulped, hands shaking. He looked longingly at Kate's empty desk, missing her terribly. _Where's Kate when I need her?_

Esposito raised a hand and set it on Rick's shoulder. "First of all, what happened to your eye, bro? You run into a door or something?"

Rick laughed. "Oh no. It was an accident."

"Uh-huh..." Ryan hummed, not believing the writer.

They moved on to the next question. "What we really want to know is: what the deal is with you and Beckett. You two seem..._different_," Esposito stated.

Ryan moved closer, getting in his personal space. His face was right up in Rick's grill. "Really different. What's going on? Come on, we're you're friends. Tell us."

Rick shifted from Ryan and Esposito several times before giving them a faint smile and attempting to get up. "I'm just gonna go get some coffee."

"Whoa, there!" Esposito said, pushing Rick roughly back down into the chair. "Where do you think you're going?"

"T- to get some...coffee?" Rick was terrified. He'd never seen the boys so demanding, except when they were tag teaming a suspect.

They shook their heads. "Nope. You're gonna stay right there," Ryan growled, pointing to the seat Rick was currently in.

The writer didn't know what to do. Kate had told him that she wanted their new relationship to be kept a secret for the time being. What was he going to do?

"Dude, just tell us what's going on with you and Beckett, then we'll leave you alone," Esposito reasoned, giving Rick a small smile.

Ryan smirked. "Come on, Castle. Just tell us. All we want to know is-"

"_Fine!_ Yes, we're together! Happy now?" Rick yelped, unable to take their questioning any more. He had to get them off his back.

The detectives fist bumped, getting the exact answer they were looking for. "Now was that so hard?" Ryan asked.

"No..." Rick mumbled, looking at his shaking hands. What did he just do?

"Good," Esposito grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Because it's about to get _a lot_ harder."

Rick shot his head right up. "What? But y- you said-"

"We lied." Ryan nodded at his partner and they moved even closer, their noses in Rick's face. "What are your intentions towards Beckett?" Ryan questioned his voice low.

"W- what?" He croaked out, leaning his head back, away from them.

"What are your intentions towards Beckett? Are you completely in this or is it just a one-night stand for you?" Esposito asked, a growl escaping his lips.

Rick let out a long sigh, seeing no escape. "I'm in this. All the way. She isn't a one time thing, guys. She's it, okay?"

"Are you sure about that?" Ryan mused, his eyes narrowed.

"Absolutely. I- I love her. And I couldn't bear having to live my life without her in it."

"Because she's our girl," Esposito began. He raised a finger and pointed it in Rick's direction. "And you ever hurt her; we will find you and kill you."

Rick looked them square in the eye. "I would never hurt her on purpose. But I can't promise that she won't ever get hurt. I'm certainly not perfect, but I'll do anything to make sure that she's happy. I just want what's best for her."

It was Ryan's turn. "And you think that you're the best thing for her?"

"I believe so. Yes. I know that she's the best thing that's _ever_ happened to me."

Ryan and Esposito both smiled, hearing enough from Rick. They each clapped him on the shoulder in a brotherly way that silently said congratulations. They moved back to their desks, getting those piles of paperwork finished. Rick hesitantly stood from the chair, casting a weary look at the two men unsure if his interrogation was in fact over.

He slowly made his way to the break room, Esposito's voice stopping him half way. "She's crazy about you, Castle. I hope you know that. And you'd be an idiot to screw it up," the Hispanic detective declared before turning back to his work.

Rick gave a curt nod before retreating to the break room. Closing the door, he watched Ryan and Esposito through the blinds. _That was unexpected,_ he thought. A gasp left his lips as a sudden realization jumped him. _Kate wanted to keep us a secret...I'm in big trouble._

He whipped out his phone, his eyes on the boys. He was just about to text Kate when he received a message from her. Talk about perfect timing.

_Hope the boys are being gentle. I told Lanie about us, I hope that's ok. You can tell Tweedle-Dee & Tweedle-Dum if you'd like. I'll be back soon. -KB_

He let out a small sigh of relief. She told Lanie about them. Its okay, he's okay. Rick took another glance at the boys who were busy chatting with one another while they did their paperwork. Every so often they'd steal glances at him, smirking and laughing.

He sent Kate a reply, his fingers zooming over the keyboard.

_They know about us. Boys hounded me for questions & it kinda slipped. I'm hiding out in the break room, please come back ASAP. -RC_

He got an immediate reply. _Be back soon. Sorry about them :( I'll come save you_

Rick sent her one last text, one word saying enough. _Hurry!_

Raking a hand through his hair, he closed the blinds and began to prepare himself some coffee. He knew that the boys meant well but they sure scared the crap out of him. He needed the coffee to calm himself down while he waited for the beautiful detective to return. Sitting down on the bench, he waited and wondered how Kate's lunch went. It had to have been better than his with his mini interrogation by the boys. He missed her and he needed her.

Kate, where are you?

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><p><strong>Whoo! :)<strong>

**Please let me know what you guys think! Your reviews are my drugs, I crave them! So keep 'em coming! I'm sorry this was a short chapter by the way. Thanks for reading! :) Until next time!  
><strong>

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello my dear friends!**

**Glad you liked the boy's interrogation :) it was so much fun to write! There is some Caskett-y goodness in here, so I hope y'all enjoy it!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

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><p><strong>[Chapter 16]<strong>

The steel doors opened and Kate strutted out, her high heels clicking against the wood floor. She booked it to the break room in search of Rick. Closing the door shut, she found him sitting on the bench with an empty cup of coffee in his hands. "Hey," she smiled, walking over to him and joining him on the bench. "How'd it go?" She set her belongings down next to her.

Rick looked up with a plain expression. "They can be terrifying when they want to be. But I'm fine now." He reached for her hand and smiled softly. "Better than fine actually."

Kate smiled as she squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry they were so rough on you, but you know how they can be. They're just trying to watch out for me and protect me. But I'll talk to them."

He nodded, looking back down. "Thanks."

Squeezing his hand one more time, she got up to make them both some more coffee. Rick watched her as she struggled with the espresso machine, boiling hot steam going everywhere. "_Ouch,_" she hissed, sucking her aching and reddening thumb.

Rick smirked as he watched the little show take place before him. "Having trouble?"

"No."

"Yes, you are," Rick sneered, chuckling.

Kate silently turned around and stuck out the mixing rod and a cup for him to take. Rick walked over to her, removing the items out of her hands with a smile. Kate side-stepped and got out of the way, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting as she leaned against the counter.

"Watch and learn," he instructed, starting everything over. Kate did as told and watched as he did everything with ease. The smell of coffee quickly invaded their noses, basking the whole room with the aroma. Pouring the coffee into two mugs, he gave Kate one and kept one for himself.

She closed her eyes as she took a sniff of the delicious drink. Blowing on it, she took a small sip. "How do you do that?"

Rick stood there with a proud expression on. "I'm just that good," he winked, sipping his own coffee. Kate shook her head in a laugh. The two remained in the break room nursing their coffees. "How'd it go with Lanie?" Rick wondered after some time of silence.

"It went really well. She wanted to know all about our date last night and how shopping went on Saturday," Kate explained as Rick smiled at the memories that began to flood his brain. "I had fun."

"I'm glad to hear that." He reached over to take her free hand in his, receiving a smile and a blush from the detective. Kate turned away, embarrassed by how such a simple act could make her as red as a tomato. "Did I just make Kate Beckett blush by holding her hand?"

Rick tried to look at her, swiveling around to get in front of her. Kate ducked her face, attempting to get away from him. "No," she mumbled, setting her hands over her face.

The writer yanked on her hands, pulling them away from her face. He jumped for joy. "_I did!_" With his hands bracing hers down on the counter and his body over hers, he had her trapped. Her lower back was pushed up against the counter and she was sure she'd have marks there later.

His little exclamation made Kate blush even more. What was going on with her? Rick grinned at this tiny feat. Kate looked up at him, still red. Their eyes stayed connected, never straying.

He smirked but then saw how red she actually was. "I- I'm sorry I embarrassed you," he apologized, his voice low and breathy.

Kate felt a slight tug on the corner of her lips. With her hands bound and her body pressed up against his, she was left in quite the position. Kate had the need to kiss him. Feel those lips on hers in a sweet caress. "Prove it," she challenged her voice just as low and as breathy as Rick's. She quickly forgot where they were, all that mattered was feeling his mouth over hers.

Rick caught on fast and he didn't need any more instruction. Their mouths met in a soft kiss, lips ghosting over one another. Kate tried to release her hands from his clutches, but he was not relenting. His mouth danced with hers, a dance only known to lovers. Eventually, Rick let her hands go, sensing her need. Kate's hands flew to his hair, threading through the incredibly soft locks. Rick moaned into her mouth, the vibrations rocking against her. The temperature was growing hotter and hotter with each swipe of their lips.

Rick's hands fisted Kate's shirt, pushing her against the counter even more. Their chests collided as their heartbeats quickened and the kiss deepened.

"Hey, Gates-"

The couple pulled apart immediately, eyes wide like deers caught in headlights. Rick took a step back, wiping his mouth off with his sleeve to get rid of any trace of Kate's lipstick. Kate's attention was drawn to her feet, too embarrassed to make eye contact. Her bottom lip between her teeth.

Ryan stood awkwardly in the doorway, having just caught mom and dad making out. Something that will forever be engraved in his head. _Great._ "Uh...am I interrupting something?"

_"No."_

_"Yes."_

Kate and Rick stared at one another, both turning beat red.

Ryan raised an eyebrow at the blushing couple. Clearing his throat, he went back to the reason why he even stood in the doorway in the first place. "Okay...well, I just came to tell you that Gates says break time is over and that the paperwork won't finish itself. And if I were you, I'd get out there as soon as possible. You wouldn't want her to find you guys like..._that._"

Kate tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her focus downward. "Okay, we'll be right out."

The Irish detective nodded, "I'll leave two alone so you can...freshen up." Before he left, he looked right at Rick. "And Castle, sorry about earlier. She's our girl and we just want to be there for her."

"It's okay, Ryan, really." Rick smiled in understanding.

"And congrats. I really am happy for you guys."

Kate and Rick smiled in acknowledgment.

"Thanks, Ryan," Kate grinned as the detective closed the door.

Rick straightened his button-down, a few creases here and there. "That was...awkward."

"No kidding," Kate agreed, fixing her hair. "Okay, from now on no more kissing or anything intimate while at work. It's just too risky. And I don't want Gates to be on our asses about it." A pout fell on Rick's lips. Kate walked over to him, placing a hand on his cheek. "I'm sorry, but we have to. No PDA at work." Rick went to say something but Kate was already ahead of him. "And that means crime scenes, too." He was about to say something again. "And not in the Crown Vic either."

"Spoilsport," he mumbled, pouting like a little kid.

"It'll be okay, Mr. Drama Queen. It's only when we're on duty. Any other time is fine."

He perked up. Wait, was she saying?

"So as soon as the shift is over...?"

Kate nodded, smiling. "If we're not on duty, yes."

He picked her up in a hug. "You're amazing!"

Kate waved him off. "I know. Now, put me down. We have paperwork that needs to be completed or Gates will have our heads."

Rick set her down and rushed to open the door, allowing her through the doorway first. She winked at him as she passed, heading straight for her desk. Rick was right behind her, taking his own place next to her. She set down her things and then handed him a thick manila envelope, placing one in front of herself.

"Do I have to? I'd rather watch _you_ do paperwork," he tried handing it back but she refused. "Much more interesting."

"I think it's about time you did your share. We are partners after all."

Rick grunted, taking the envelope with a frown. "It's so boring!"

Kate began reading over the papers. "Welcome to my world."

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><p><strong>Ta-da! :)<strong>

**Hope y'all liked it! I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as I can. Please leave a review with your thoughts! They are strongly encouraged and greatly appreciated! BTW: where would y'all like to see this story go? If you have any ideas, please let me know! :) Until next time!**

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	17. Chapter 17

**Hello dearies! :)**

**Y'all are just incredible! I can't thank you enough for your love & support throughout this story! I am so honored and blessed to have readers like you. As a writer, that is the greatest feeling in the entire world! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you all! :)**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

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><p><strong>[Chapter 17]<strong>

The duo had been working on piles and piles of paperwork for hours. The floor was relatively quite with a few phones ringing and uniforms bustling in and it out. It had been a pretty slow and inactive day.

"Detective Beckett, I'm happy to see you putting Mr. Castle to work," Gates approved as she poked her head out of the office to check on everyone.

Kate looked up from a file she was working on. She chuckled lightly, "Yeah, well it's about time he did his share of the paperwork."

Rick just grunted in his seat, scribbling on the paper he had in front of him. Kate could've sworn she saw a small smile on her Captain's lips, a rarity. "Nice work, Mr. Castle," Gates complimented.

He turned to smile at her. He was surprised that the tough as nails woman offered up a compliment to him. "Uh, thank you, Sir."

Gates just nodded in acknowledgment, heading back inside her office without another word. Rick swiveled back around in his seat, a look of shock on his face.

"Did she just compliment me on a job well done?" Rick questioned, a thumb pointed in Gates' direction.

Kate smiled and nodded. "That's a big step there, Castle."

"I think she's starting to warm up to me," he grinned, resting his head in the palm of his hand.

Kate rolled her eyes, "I doubt it." Rick started to gaze off, his focus on the wall across from them. She tapped him on the forearm with her pen, gaining his attention. "Back to work."

Rick let out a groan as he shuffled through piles of papers, a pout on his lips. Kate couldn't help but smirk at him. He was obviously bored and not having a good time. She scratched her head in thought, thinking that he's suffered enough today without having to do paperwork on top of it. And he has actually helped her make a huge dent in the amount that she had to start off with.

"Okay," she began, her pen twirling in her fingers. Rick looked up. "You've been through enough for one afternoon. Finish that folder and you're done for the day."

Rick's mopey attitude lightened as she spoke. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

He had a smile as big as the moon. His sea blue eyes were sparkling with joy. "Thank you!" Kate watched as he scurried over the file, crossing his t's and dotting his i's with lightning fast speed. "Done," Rick sighed, setting the manila envelope in the black bin on her desk. He stretched out his arms, the bones cracking.

"So?" Kate mused, signing her name on the last sheet of the folder.

"So...what?"

Kate glanced at him, placing the envelope in the bin on top of his. "How's it feel doing paperwork?"

"I don't know how you do it," he answered honestly. "It's dull and tedious."

Kate shrugged, "It's part of the job description. It's definitely not the most flattering part of being a cop but we all have to do it."

"Well, I'm not actually a cop," he smirked.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that...I think you are a cop, just without the badge and the gun. You've been such a vital part of this team and we wouldn't solve as many cases as we do if you weren't here."

Rick smiled gratefully. "Wow. I'm flattered."

"You should be," Kate smiled, starting a new folder. "Who would've thought that after four years you'd still be here helping me solve murders..."

"I'm happy I stayed." Rick glanced around real fast before placing his hand on hers and giving it a little squeeze.

Kate couldn't help it and squeezed his hand back. "Me too."

He pulled his hand away before anyone would notice, taking one more glance around just to make sure. "I know you said no public dis-"

"I'll let it slide this one time," she winked, quickly getting back to work.

Rick got up, stretching his back. "I'm going to go make some coffee. Would you like some?"

Kate looked up with a thankful smile. "I'd love some." Rick nodded, walking to the break room but not before he went over to Ryan and Esposito to see if they'd like any coffee. They did and he went straight to work. By the time he returned Kate had almost finished her report, she just had to double check it all and then sign it. Rick set her coffee on her desk, the steam rising from the top.

"Thank you," she smiled, taking a small sip. A little moan coming from the back of her throat.

"How's it coming?" Rick asked as he watched her go back to work.

"It's...coming. I think this will be last one," she indicated to the folder in hand. "I think my eyes are going cross from staring at these things all day."

Raising his wrist to look at his watch, "well, it's going on five o'clock. What do you say to grabbing an early dinner when you're finished?"

"I'd say it's a great idea," Kate grinned, opening a new manila envelope and reading over it. "Where would you like to go?"

"I was thinking about ordering take out and hanging out with Alexis at my place. Would that be okay with you? If not, I totally understand."

Kate shook her head, "No, I would love that. It'll give me some time to catch up with her, see how she's doing with the whole college thing."

Rick gazed at her in wonderment. "You're extraordinary," he whispered, adoration shining in his eyes. "Just extraordinary."

"I could say the same about you," she stated, staring at him with all the love she could muster. "I'm a lucky woman."

"And I'm a lucky man."

* * *

><p>Kate eventually finished the file, placing it with the others. It was around five-thirty when they started to get ready to head out. She began organizing her things before standing up. "Hey, have a good night you two. And stay out of trouble," she called to Ryan and Esposito.<p>

Esposito turned in his seat. "Trouble is my middle name."

Ryan just smiled, "Good night!"

"Night guys," Rick waved, putting his arm out for Kate to take. She smiled, weaving her arm through his and grasping onto his bicep. The duo made their way to the elevator, waiting for it to arrive on their floor.

They stood extremely close, their arms still connected. Kate was snuggled into Rick's side, loving the warmth that radiated off of him. Rick kissed her on the crown of her head, resting his on top of hers. Even with her high heels on she was still a bit shorter than him, making her the perfect height. They arrived to the lobby, heading out the main doors.

"Night, Ernie. We'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning," Kate waved to the man at the front desk.

"And a good night to you, too, Detective Beckett. Mr. Castle." The elderly man smiling as he waved goodbye to the couple.

Rick hailed a cab and they quickly got in. Kate's hand found Rick's, holding onto it tightly as he gave the driver his address. The driver was nice, making small talk with the couple and telling them his intriguing life story.

Twenty-five minutes later they pulled up to Rick's building. "Thank you very much, Taylor," Rick thanked, paying him. "It was a fun ride."

The gruff man nodded with a smile. "Not a problem. You two have a great evening!"

"You too!"

Rick let Kate out first as he closed the door and the taxi drove off into traffic. "Shall we?" He had his arm out again.

Kate smirked as she moved past his arm and wrapped her arms around his middle, hugging him closely. "We shall."

He laughed, his face lighting up. He lowered his arm so that it rested on her shoulders, holding her tight. Rick and Kate slowly made their way to the elevator, enjoying one another. A few minutes passed and they were on his floor walking down the hallway. Rick fished for his keys in his jeans pocket unable to find them.

"Looking for these?" Rick glanced down at Kate who was dangling his keys in front of him with a mischievous grin on.

"You had your hand in my pocket and I didn't even feel it?" He questioned, totally in awe. "Do it again." She just rolled her eyes and handed him back the keys. He sighed, placing the correct key in and opening the door. "Alexis? We're home!" Rick yelled as he shut the front door.

Kate froze. Did he just say we're home? She didn't know why but it kind of freaked her out. Rick didn't say "I'm home" he said "we're home", meaning that he considers this Kate's home, too. She took a deep breath as she gave it more thought, the idea of this bring her home becoming less and less frightening.

Arms wrapped around her middle and she felt a warm breath on her neck. "You okay?"

Placing her hands on his arms, she nodded in the affirmative. "I am now."

"Good," and he kissed her on the cheek, his lips so soft against her skin.

"Hey, Dad! How'd it go at th-" Alexis was at the top of the stairs looking down, she seemed surprised. "Oh, hey Detective Beckett!"

The teenager quickly ran down the stairs to give each adults a hug, something that surprised both adults. Kate smiled when she pulled away from Alexis' embrace. "Alexis, you can call me Kate, okay?"

Alexis smiled. "Sorry, old habits die hard."

"That's perfectly alright," Kate said as she snuggled back into Rick's side.

Alexis crossed her arms and smirked as she watched her dad and Kate. "I take it the date went well?"

Rick's arms tightened, his chin resting on Kate's shoulder. "You could say that..."

Alexis looked up to the ceiling, her hands clasped. "_Thank you._" Kate and Rick laughed. Turning her focus back down at the couple she smiled brightly. "It's about time," Alexis declared giving them each another bone crushing hug. "Gram and I were growing impatient."

The three moved to the kitchen, Alexis and Kate taking the bar stools while Rick leaned against the counter.

"Speaking of Gram, is she back yet?" Rick wondered, not seeing or hearing from his mother in a while.

Alexis shook her head no. "Nope. She and what's his face are still gone. I have no idea when they'll be back."

"Knowing your Gram, it'll be days," he winked at his daughter. "So, what sounds good for dinner to you ladies?"

Kate and Alexis looked at one another before turning to Rick. "Chinese," they said simultaneously, causing Rick to stare at them like they each had two heads.

"That was creepy but _awesome!_" Rick exclaimed, staring at his daughter and girlfriend in awe. Kate and Alexis giggled as Rick pulled out his phone to order their food. He moved over to the living room area to give the girls their privacy.

"How's the college hunt going, Alexis? You hear from schools yet?" Kate asked once they calmed down.

Alexis turned on the stool so she was facing Kate. She had on a huge smile. "I have. I actually got my acceptance letters from Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and NYU. I applied there to make my dad happy."

"Congratulations," Kate grinned. "That's very impressive, Alexis."

"Thanks, Det- Kate. Now, I just have to make a decision."

"Can I give you some advice?" The teenager eagerly nodded. "Follow your heart, go where you want to go not where your dad wants you to go. Go to a school that you believe you'll be the most successful at. And don't shy away from any opportunities that come knocking on your door. College can be frightening but if you meet the right group of people then you'll be set. And Alexis?" The teen nodded. "Have fun. Yes, you want to stay on top of your academics, but college isn't just about getting the best grades or the highest marks. Take a break from the work and go hang out with your friends! It's all about discovering yourself and having a great time."

Alexis smiled, giving Kate another hug. "Thank you. And I will!"

"Just don't slack off _too_ much with your school work, I don't want your dad to get mad at me for-"

"Why would I get mad at you?" Rick wondered, coming back into the kitchen. "I could never be mad at you."

Kate almost said something but Alexis cut her off. "Dad, Kate was just giving me some advice about college and making the right choice. It's really nothing to worry about." She gave Rick an innocent look, making him smile.

"_Oh,_ okay," he shrugged off. "Our food should be here in about twenty minutes or so. Now, what shall we do to kill the time?" Rick waggled his eyebrows and gave Alexis a look.

She just smiled mischievously as she jumped down from the stool and went into her father's office. Kate was perplexed. "Rick, what's going on?"

He escorted her out of the kitchen and into his office where Alexis had just disappeared to. "It'll be fun, I promise."

* * *

><p>"Come on, Kate! I thought you were a police officer. Show us your stuff!" Alexis taunted from across the room.<p>

The lights were off and the entire loft was blanketed in darkness. The only light coming from the glowing outfits the three of them were wearing. Yes, Rick, Kate, and Alexis were playing laser tag. It was the two Castles versus one Beckett.

Kate was crouched down by the kitchen counter, hiding from them. She was surprised at how good the two of them were; they had plays and maneuvers that exceeded her expectations. When Rick and Alexis presented her the challenge of laser tag, she accepted thinking that it would be an easy fight.

She was so wrong...

"_Oh, Kaatte!_" Rick called out in a sing-song tune. "You can't hide forever! We will find you!"

"Not if I find you first, Ricky!" Kate yelled. She braced the large gun up in ready position. Crawling over to her left, she took a risky glance over to the couch where she heard Rick. She didn't see or hear anything. Where were they?

A small, barely noticeable noise caught her attention. Sneaking over to the back of the couch, she knelt down. Taking a deep breath, she smiled evilly to herself. _Gotcha. _Jumping up, she stood ready to fire but there was no one there. As she turned around her vest lit up red. Game over.

Rick and Alexis came out of their hiding spots. Rick behind the piano on Kate's right and Alexis from behind a pillar on Kate's left.

"And that is how we Castles roll!" Rick cheered, holding his hand up for a high-five from his daughter.

Kate shook her head, biting the inside of her cheek. "Nicely played, you two. Nicely played."

"Care for another round, Kate?" Alexis wondered, raising her goggles up.

The doorbell rang. "Food's here!" Rick smiled, raising his own goggles so that they rested on top of his head.

Kate turned to the red head. "How about after dinner? Then it can be me and you against your dad."

Alexis beamed at the idea. "I like it!" She gave the older woman a high-five. "He doesn't stand a chance."

Rick stopped right in front of the door, wallet in hand. "You're on, ladies."

Kate and Alexis smirked as they began to take off the laser tag gear. "Let's go set the table while your dad pays for the food," Kate suggested, leading Alexis toward the kitchen.

Rick returned moments later to find his girls laughing and talking while placing cups and plates on the table. He halted his movements and merely observed. They got along really well, something he was extremely thankful for. Alexis looked up to Kate, she was her role model. And Rick knows that Kate looks at Alexis like she was her own. His heart threatened to beat out of his chest he was so happy.

Kate looked so at home here and he had hoped that he hadn't freaked her out before by saying "we're home!" He was just so excited and he couldn't help it. She didn't seem too shocked by it and he was grateful for that.

"Rick?" He shook his head, coming back to earth. "You're going to catch flies if you keep your mouth open like that."

He moved to the counter, setting the plastic bags down. "Wouldn't want that to happen because then I couldn't do this," and he shifted over to Kate and kissed her on the lips.

"_Eww._ If you're gonna do that, at least warn me ahead of time," Alexis whined, covering her eyes.

The couple pulled back with smiles. "Sorry, Alexis," Kate apologized, hitting Rick on the chest playfully; he still had the laser tag gear on. "You answered the door like this?"

Rick nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

That made her laugh, Kate's entire body shaking. "You're such a little kid!"

Rick began to take off the gear, placing it on the couch by the girls'. "That I am!" He grinned as he came into the kitchen.

Alexis was sorting through the bags, taking out Styrofoam carton after Styrofoam carton. "Gosh, dad. How much do you get? We could feed an entire army with all of this!"

Rick peered over the counter looking at everything he ordered. "I just got one container of egg rolls, two containers of white rice, three containers of Mongolian beef, three containers of Sesame chicken, three containers of Kung Pao chicken, and a handful of fortune cookies."

Kate gave him an exasperated look. "_Is that all?_" He shrugged. "Rick, how are we possibly going to eat all of this?"

"If we don't finish it then we'll save it for another time. Maybe we can bring some into the station tomorrow," he explained, moving to the refrigerator. He received a slow nod from the detective. "What would you like to drink? We have water, milk, apple juice, orange juice, wine."

"I'll have a glass of wine, please."

"Coming right up! Alexis, sweetheart. What would you like?"

The teenager took a moment to think. "Water's fine. Thanks, dad."

"Sure thing, Pumpkin." Rick grabbed two wine glasses and a regular glass from the cabinet, filling them up with the desired drinks.

Kate and Alexis were already at the table waiting for Rick. He handed them each their glasses before grabbing himself a plate and serving himself food. Soon, the three of them were digging in.

"Did you have any cases today?" Alexis wondered, breaking the silence with her curiosity.

Kate finished chewing her chicken before answering. "Uh, no, we didn't. Just boring old paperwork. Your dad actually helped out a bit with it, too."

"You _did?_"

"Why so surprised?" Rick wondered, his eyebrows knit in confusion.

"Because you've never done paperwork like..._ever_," his daughter supplied.

Rick shook his head. "That is completely-"

"True," Kate cut him off.

Rick looked between Kate and Alexis, both of whom had identical smirks. "You just love to gain up on me, don't you?"

"Yes," came the chorus reply.

"My daughter and my girlfriend teaming up against me...how humiliating. And in my own home, too!"

"Oh grow up, dad!" Alexis smiled, winking at Kate.

Kate joined in. "Yeah, stop acting like a little kid and eat your dinner so we can go play some more laser tag!" She was bouncing a bit in her seat.

Rick leaned closer to Kate, his forearm bracing himself on the table. "Who's the little kid now?"

"Still you!"

* * *

><p><strong>And there we go! :)<strong>

**I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! I had a blast writing it! I wanted to have some Kate/Alexis moments in there so I hoped they turned out alright. Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments! Thanks for reading! Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello my lovelies!**

**I am so glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter! You're all awesome! Thank you for all your support! I could not do this without you guys!**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 18]<strong>

"Give up, Rick! You're no match against the two of us!" Kate called out as she ducked down behind a pillar near the entrance.

Alexis was on the opposite side of the loft, sneaking around by her dad's office. She silently motioned to Kate to go forward toward the study where they knew he was hiding.

Kate tip-toed over, doing a somersault to amuse the teenager. She lined up with the bookcase, her back right against it. The door was partially open and she could see Rick hiding under his desk, the vest and goggles lighting up the room. She nodded at Alexis who snuck over beside her, flanking the other side of the door. Kate motioned again, telling Alexis when to go.

Kate lifted three fingers. Then two. And finally one.

The girls rushed inside, running over to his desk and firing. "Gotcha!" Alexis cheered, giving Kate a high-five. "I believe that is the third time we've won..."

"And how many times have you won, Rick? Oh wait..._none!_" The two girls laughed as Rick slowly came out of his little cave, sulking.

"Yeah, yeah," he grunted, raising his goggles and slumping in his chair.

"Dad, why haven't we had Kate over to play laser tag before? This is _awesome!_"

Rick smirked up at Kate as she raised the goggles, her brown-green eyes shining. "Because she didn't know how to have fun before she met me!"

Kate hit him lightly on the arm for that one, laughing while doing it. "That is _so not_ true! I knew how to have fun _way_ before I met you!"

"Just keep telling yourself that, darling," Rick smirked, earning another smack from Kate.

Alexis let out a laugh as she watched her father and his girlfriend bicker. _They are something else,_ she thought.

Kate began hitting Rick all over as he just laughed in the chair, enjoying the whole situation way too much. He yanked Kate down so she was now sitting on his lap, both laughing.

"Do I need to leave or...?" Alexis questioned, covering her eyes. "I'm happy for you, I am. I just don't want to _see it._"

Kate got out of Rick's lap, a pinkness highlighting her cheeks. Rick cleared his throat, standing up as well.

"I think we've had enough laser tag for one evening," Rick concluded as he started to take the vest and goggles off.

He received a dual moan from both girls. "One more round?" Alexis pleaded, giving her dad her best puppy dog look. She had the lip out and everything.

"Please, Rick," Kate begged, imitating Alexis.

He sighed, there was no way he was going to win this. They were just that good. Rick took the gear back out causing Kate and Alexis to cheer as they placed their goggles down over their eyes.

"We're only doing_ one_ more round, okay?" They both nodded. "And I get to have Kate on my team this time," Rick stated, pulling Kate beside him.

Alexis grunted, crossing her arms. "Fine..."

"Ready?" Rick asked each of them.

"Ready," Kate smirked, the large gun gripped tightly in her hands.

"Ready," Alexis nodded, already in the zone.

"One...two..._three!_"

* * *

><p>"Good night, dad," Alexis said, embracing Rick in a huge hug.<p>

He kissed her on the top of her head. "Night, Pumpkin. Sleep tight."

Alexis moved over to Kate, wrapping her in a fierce hug. "Good night, Kate. Please come over soon so you and I can kick my dad's butt again!"

Kate laughed, hugging the teen back just as hard. "Good night, Alexis. And I definitely will! That was a lot of fun!" The two pulled apart and Alexis headed upstairs. She gave one final wave before disappearing into her bedroom.

The three of them ended up playing four (not one) more rounds of laser tag. And before they knew it, it was going on ten o'clock. Kate and Rick had beaten Alexis the first round, but the teen had definitely handed it to them, winning the rest.

Kate snuggled into Rick's side as they remained by the staircase, neither wanting to move. "You're so good with her," Rick said, smiling down at the gorgeous woman in his arms.

She shrugged, replying honestly. "I just be myself and hope she likes me for me."

"She does. You're such an amazing, strong, beautiful, and selfless woman. I can see why she looks up to you. Hell, I look up to you."

Kate buried her face in his chest, her laughter vibrating against him. Her hands tangled in his shirt, wrinkling it. "How did I end up so lucky?"

"I ask myself that same question every day."

Kate looked up from his chest, getting up on her tip-toes and kissing him. Rick smiled into the kiss, their mouths molding together. He took his time tasting her, his lips sweeping over hers in a very soft, very delicate kiss. But Kate was growing impatient, needing more and wanting more. She bit on his bottom lip and took it between her teeth, tugging on it. Rick groaned, his tongue slid over hers, delving into her, sucking up every bit of her that he could taste. Kate moaned into his mouth, the sensations on overload.

When oxygen became a necessity, they pulled apart. Both of them were breathing heavily, their desire filled eyes locking. The kiss may have started out sweet but it quickly grew hot in seconds.

"Would you like to move this party to the couch?" Rick wondered, still holding onto her tightly.

Kate hesitated, not sure if her staying over another night was the best idea. She had things at home that she needed to take care of. And she didn't want things to get carried away. "I think I'm gonna head home, it's getting late and I don't want to over stay my welcome."

He raised a hand to her cheek, his thumb stroking it. "Just know that you are always welcome here. My home is your home."

Kate nodded, looking down. "Thank you. I just don't think tonight will work out."

Rick sighed, dejected. "That's okay. I understand."

She lifted his face up so he was looking at her. "What about tomorrow?"

The smile returned to his lips. "Tomorrow would be great."

Kate kissed him briefly. "My place or yours?"

"How about yours? It'll give us some privacy and I'd really like to be with just you, no distractions."

"Sounds perfect," she grinned, hugging him tightly. Her arms wrapped around his middle with her hands bracing his back.

He set his head on top of hers, his cheek resting against her hair. "Do you have to go? I'm going to miss you."

"I know. I'll miss you, too. But I'll see you in the morning, okay? I'll come pick you up on the way to work and we can stop for some coffee."

Kate started for the door, grabbing her high heels and putting them on. She braced one hand on Rick's shoulder, helping herself stay balanced. Grabbing her belongings, she opened the door.

Rick leaned against it, his arms crossed. "I miss you already," he pouted.

Kate smiled softly, kissing him soundly on the lips. They were now eye level with one another because she had her heels on. "I do, too," she whispered against his lips. "I'll call you if anything comes up."

"I know you will. You always do."

Kate stepped back and began walking toward the elevator. "Until tomorrow, Rick."

He stepped out of the loft, watching her as she pressed the down button for the elevator. "Good night, Kate. I love you."

"I love you, too," she returned, blowing him a kiss before she disappeared into the lift.

Closing the door, Rick trudged to his office and sank down in his chair. She was gone a whole ten seconds and he missed her like she'd been gone for ten weeks. He'd never felt the need to be with someone twenty-four seven before. That is, until he met Kate.

Rick needed her like he needed air to breath. She was his everything and she was gone. J_ust for the night,_ he reminded himself. _''ll see her tomorrow morning. I can do this._

His phone beeped from out by the front door where he placed his things. Standing up, he walked back to the entrance and picked up his cell phone off the small table. It was a text from Kate.

_Miss you! :( wish it was morning already! I love you so much, sweetheart! xoxo -KB_

He grinned at the sweetheart, surprised that she had put that in the first place. He was about to reply when he got another text from her.

_& yes, I did just call you sweetheart! ;)_

Rick laughed, smiling. He typed a reply, fingers zooming on the keypad.

_Miss you more, baby! (if you're calling me sweetheart, I'm calling you baby. It's only fair) & I love you, too! Always. xoxo -RC_

He sighed as he headed back into his study, setting his phone on his desk before going into the bedroom. Rick stripped, donning a pair of navy boxers with a white undershirt. He plopped down on his bed, missing the beautiful detective like crazy.

* * *

><p>Kate smiled in the taxi cab after reading Rick's text. He would say that it's only fair that if she got to give him a pet name, then he got to give her one, too. <em>Silly man...<em>

The drive to her apartment flew by as her thoughts were consumed with a certain ruggedly handsome writer. She paid the driver and got out, heading inside. Once on the elevator, she hugged herself, missing him terribly. She'd never been this depressed about not being with a man. She would see him in the morning, it's not like he's gone for months at a time. _Get a hold of yourself Kate,_ she told herself. _It's only one night. You can do this._

Opening her front door, she shut it with a sigh. Throwing her things on the kitchen counter, Kate set off toward her bedroom and changed into a pair of leggings and a large shirt. She crawled into bed, missing Rick like no other.

* * *

><p><strong>Yay! :)<strong>

**I hope y'all liked it! Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments! They're always welcome!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello my dear friends! :)  
><strong>

**I am so glad you all liked the last chapter! You guys are so awesome and I am very thankful that you're enjoying this story! I hope this chapter finds you smiling a bit more :) but it's kinda short, so I apologize.  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 19]<strong>

Kate woke up to her phone ringing off in her kitchen. Opening one eye, she glanced at the clock on her bedside. It was four-thirty in the morning and that could only mean one of two things: a body dropped or something was wrong. Shrugging the sheets off of her, she headed for the kitchen, her bare feet freezing against the hardwood floor.

Picking the cell phone up off her counter, she blindly answered it without looking at the caller ID. "Beckett."

_"Kate?"_ Rick asked, his voice just as drowsy as hers.

"Rick, it's four-thirty in the morning...is everything okay? Alexis isn't hurt or anything is she?" Her tone growing with concern and worry. She was more alert now, ready to spring at any moment.

_"No, no. She's fine,"_ he smiled, touched by the concern she had for his daughter.

"Okay, so what's going on?" Kate started to prepare herself some coffee seeing as she was already awake and wouldn't be going back to bed anytime soon.

Rick sighed, _"I-I miss you...and I can't sleep."_

"I miss you, too. But I'll see you in a few hours, okay? And you're staying at my place tonight, so we'll have the entire evening to ourselves. Not to mention, we'll be with one another twenty-four seven at the precinct."

She could hear Rick's smile as he talked. _"I know. I just can't wait, I've never been a very patient person. So, I'm struggling. I need you."_

The coffee was finished brewing before she knew it and Kate began pouring the steaming liquid into a mug. "I need you, too," she sighed, taking a careful sip of the hot drink.

_"Are you having coffee?"_ Rick wondered upon hearing her gulping over the line.

"Yes, I am. I needed some caffeine to wake me up, I'm definitely not going back to bed anytime soon. That's for sure."

_"I could really use some coffee right now,"_ Rick groaned. _"Just ran out of beans the other day and haven't had the time to go buy any more."_

Kate took another sip, blowing on it. "We'll stop for some coffee on the way to work. I promise."

_"I'm holding you to that, honey."_

Kate leaned against the counter, her lower back hitting the edge. "I thought I was baby?" She wondered, grinning.

_I thought I'd change it up a little, sweetie-pie."_

She rolled her eyes but smiled while doing it. "So, I'm baby, honey, and now sweetie-pie? Very original."

_"I can come up with plenty more. Let's see...love bug, flower, honey buns, pookie, dove, shmoopsie poo, angel, muffin, tootsie, love, sweet cheeks-"_

"Rick?" Kate called, interrupting his long list of pet names.

_"Yes, princess?"_ Kate couldn't see, but he had on the goofiest grin, having a ball with this.

"Shut up," she ordered.

_"Okay, Katie-bear."_

"Rick," Kate growled, gritting her teeth. "I love you but you're starting to piss me off. Just pick one nickname and stick with it. I don't know if I can handle all of them."

Rick whined, acting like a five year old. _"Only one?"_

"Yes, only one."

_"Fine."_ It was silent for a few seconds before, _"alright, I'm going with beautiful because you are."_

The detective could only laugh. "You _so_ would. Alright, now I need one for you."

Rick began listing off various pet names for himself. _"Stud, prince, Romeo, honey bee, cuddle bug, hot lips, handsome, McDreamy..."_

Kate grinned, suddenly very excited about the cutesy names. "I'm going with stud. It's simple and cute!"

_"Beautiful and stud...I like it,"_ Rick chuckled.

"It's settled then."

_"Could we be any more disgustingly cute? It's like we're hormone-induced teenagers."_

Kate laughed. "We're in love. It happens."

Rick suddenly grew serious, _"I love you, beautiful."_

"I love you, too, stud."

Kate could hear the sound of a door slamming shut in the background. _"Listen, I gotta go. Mother just arrived and she seems a bit tipsy. Don't want her breaking anything or waking Alexis up. Pick me up at eight?"_

Kate grinned, chuckling at the sound of Martha calling out and slurring her words. "Sounds good. Bye."

_"Bye."_

And the connection was broken, Kate hung up her phone and set it down on the counter. Taking a long drag of her now luke warm coffee, she giggled to herself. Rick was right, they were acting like teenagers. But she'd never been so happy in her entire life so she could care less about how they were acting. She was in love and happier than ever.

Sighing, she dumped the rest of her coffee down the sink and trudged to her bedroom to take a shower. Kate couldn't wait to see her man. _Just a few more hours and I'll be with him again. I got this. _Going through her closet in search of a top, she grinned when a certain article of clothing caught her eye. _Oh, I could have fun with this. It'll make him squirm..._

Taking the piece clothing out, she set it on her bed before going to the bathroom for a shower. A permanent grin making homage on her lips.

* * *

><p>Kate smiled brightly as she saw Rick coming out of his building. He froze in his tracks when he saw her. <em>Dear Lord, she's trying to kill me,<em> he thought as he took her in. _But what a way to go._

Her hair was up in a side pony tail that had curls cascading down her shoulder. Kate had put on dark eyeliner that made the color in her eyes pop. She had put on ruby red lipstick, making her lips look so damn kissable and enticing. She wore a tight-fitted leather jacket that showed off a generous view of her cleavage and complimented her figure.

The dark skinny jeans were like a second skin, fitting her slender legs perfectly. Rick practically lost it when he saw that she had on black, leather knee-high biking boots that completed the picture. A black motorcycle helmet rested between her hip and her forearm as she leaned against the bike.

He was speechless. "Hey there, stud," she smirked, getting up from the motorcycle and strutting over to the writer. She kissed him soundly on the lips, not minding that they were in a public place. All she cared about was his lips on hers. And Rick didn't seem to mind either. He returned the kiss with just as much passion.

Pulling apart, he smiled down at her. "God. Are you trying to kill me? Because...damn. You look so- that outfit is-" he sighed, unable to find an appropriate word. He eventually settled on, "sexy."

Kate laughed as she turned back to the bike, her hips swinging a tad more than usual catching his attention. Casting a haughty look over her shoulder, she held out another helmet intending for Rick to grab it. "You get to wear the funny looking helmet," she grinned.

"Thanks, beautiful." And at a snail's pace, Rick made it to the bike, taking the helmet from her. "I, uh- don't know if I'm exactly dressed correctly..."

Kate looked him up and down. He had on nice dress shoes on the bottom. His jeans were classy and appropriate for the working area. And the blue button-shirt was displaying his muscles underneath. He definitely didn't have on the attire meant for riding a bike, but it would have to do.

Kate bit her lip, and that action alone with her outfit made Rick squirm. She was the definition of sexy and he was struggling to maintain his control. "You should be alright. The trip from here to the coffee shop is about twenty minutes with traffic. So, we won't be on here for too long."

Kate could've sworn she saw a small pout on Rick's lips. Was he upset that the ride was so short? Apparently so.

She got on the '94 Harley Soft Tail, straddling it. Placing her helmet on, she glanced over at Rick who stood about a foot away with his helmet in hand. "You coming?" She asked, starting up the bike. It roared to life, exhaust coming out of the tailpipe.

Rick hastily placed the helmet on, buckling it under his chin. He got on, his arms immediately wrapping around Kate's middle."Kate Beckett Motorcycle Fantasy: check."

She laughed, the sound music to Rick's ears. "Hold on tight," Kate instructed. "You're in for the ride of your life!"

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><p><strong>Yay! :)<strong>

**I hope y'all liked it! And I hope that it made you guys smile! I know I sure did while writing it. Lol. More to come in the next chapter! Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments! I absolutely love hearing from y'all! Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey!**

**Thanks for your reviews! T****his is now my longest fic!**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

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><p><strong>[Chapter 20]<strong>

The sun was streaming down on the couple on the motor bike. The wind was all around them, nipping at their ears. The clothes on their backs were billowing behind them, the wind picking up.

Rick's arms were wrapped around Kate's middle and she could feel every contour of his body against her back. Just feel of him against her made her heart beat faster. She grinned when she sped up, feeling his arms grip onto her even tighter, afraid that he'll fall off. She took a corner fast, leaning to one side as Rick's hands squeezed instinctively.

He didn't speak to her on the ride to the coffee shop, his arms around her middle tightened with every curve she leaned into. The closeness, the vibrations from the machine beneath them, the wind rushing past; all of it set his heart pounding in his chest.

They caught a few red lights, but she never spoke when they were stopped, so he didn't either. He just allowed himself to enjoy the cool air and the feel of her warm body close to his.

Rick felt a wave of disappointment as she slowed down and pulled up to the curb, cutting the engine. Feet planted on either side, the Harley balanced on its kickstand. Kate reached up and pulled the shiny black helmet off, tucking it under one arm as she shook out her chestnut tresses; her ponytail a bit wild from the ride. Both of their faces were flushed red from the wind.

Rick's hands fell away, brushing her hips. The sight of her shaking her hair turning him on like no other. "That is so hot," he murmured without thinking.

She cast an amused glance over her shoulder. "Are we going to sit here all day or are we going in and get some coffee?"

"Coffee. Right." He slung his leg over the bike and stepped back, watching her do the same. He barely remembered to close his mouth before she glanced up at him. He led the way toward the door, the goofy helmet in hand.

The enticing aroma of coffee wafted through the air as soon as they entered the shop. There was long line of people waiting to give their order; some business men were on their phones yapping away about a proposal. There was a soccer mom or two needing the burst of energy that coffee provided to be able to carry on with their hectic schedules. It was a vast array of people and Rick and Kate blended right in.

"What can I get you, two?" Asked the barista when they reached the front of the line.

Kate placed her hands in her jacket pockets, swaying on her feet. "I'll have a grande skim latte with two pumps of sugar-free vanilla."

The barista nodded, pulling a cup off a large stack of cups and scribbling the order on it. "Name?"

"Kate," she gave, scooting over so Rick could order.

"And what can I get you, sir?" The young man asked Rick, sharpie in hand.

Rick peered over at all of the choices that decorated the signs above the counter, too many to choose from. "Let's see...I'll just have a regular black coffee."

"What size?"

"Grande please."

The barista nodded, yanking another cup and writing the order on it. Rick gave the young man his name and paid for both of the drinks, much to Kate's dismay. The two moved to the left of the shop, waiting patiently for their drinks.

Kate grinned, nudging Rick's shoulder. "What's his story?" She asked, nodding to a stiff, well-dressed business man who stuck his chin out and had the air of superiority all around him.

Rick grinned at her, his eyes glimmering. His hair was a bit crazy from the helmet he was wearing earlier, a few pieces matted to his head. "Playing this game, are we?"

"I thought it'd kill the time," informed Kate. "Now hurry, what's his story?"

Rick stood still for a moment, his arms holding onto the helmet as he studied the man. "He's a smart man, went to a top rated school and got a job right out of college. Unfortunately, his lack of time and effort prevents him to explore his personal life, so he doesn't have a girlfriend or very many friends. What friends he does have he can't live without; like his cell phone, his laptop, and his fancy sports car. He has a large ego, something that helped him climb the ladder at his work. And any free time he has, he spends it on his hair," Rick finished smirking down at Kate.

She had a hand over her mouth, trying not burst out laughing. The funny part was that all of what he said was probably true. They stood their giggling with one another while other customers didn't pay them a second glance, too busy with their own lives.

The barista called their names one after another and Rick claimed the cups, handing Kate hers. They found an empty table near the window, just observing and watching people as they came in and out. The two sat close, legs and shoulders touching.

Rick glanced at his watch, seeing that they had a ton of time to kill before they had to be at the precinct. "We've got plenty of time before we should get going. Would you like to continue on with our little game?"

Kate nodded, taking a sip of her coffee and looking around at all the people. A newspaper article caught her eye, thinking she saw Rick's name on one of headings. But the man reading it turned the page before she could get a good look. Kate thought it was best to just forget about it.

Rick spotted a girl no older than twenty years old as she typed fiercely on her laptop, ear buds in her ears. "What's her story?"

She followed his line of sight and stared at the young woman, taking her time to study her. "She's a college student at NYU who is struggling with..."

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><p>The couple continued their little game for a while, laughing and joking the entire time. Before they knew it, it was ten to nine. They needed to get to the precinct and soon. Tossing their now empty cups away, Rick and Kate walked out of the shop, helmets in hand.<p>

"Can I drive?" Rick asked, pleading as they walked to the motorcycle. "I _never_ get to drive. Just this once."

"I'll take you out this weekend and we can go for a ride then. But we really have to go."

He sighed, "Okay. But I'm holding you to taking me this weekend, Detective."

Kate put on her helmet and swung her leg over the bike, holding still while Rick did the same. She reached behind her to tug on his hands, pulling him forward, bringing his warmth tighter against her back. He kissed her on the cheek, whispering in her ear, "I love you."

She turned her upper body a bit, kissing him on the lips. They remained like that for a few minutes, not wanting to pull away. "I love you so much," she mumbled, their mouths connected. Her hands slid on his legs, squeezing him right above the knee.

The position they were in may have been a bit awkward, but they didn't care. All that mattered was their lips pressed together. They turned their heads to get a new position, only to knock helmets together with a loud clank. They broke apart and stared at one another, bursting out in laughter.

"We should really get going," Rick suggested once they calmed down, still chuckling a bit as his right hand moved up and down Kate's thigh.

Kate froze. The sensations that those marvelous fingers were producing made her breathing erratic. Rick noticed this, slowly sliding his hand a bit higher in a teasing manner. He watched her reaction, seeing the need that was sparkling in her eyes. Her pupils were growing black with arousal. How a simple movement could make her want him, she'll never know. But at the moment she could care less about the reasons why and more about the feelings...

Kate gazed at Rick, want and need written on her face. _God, if he moves his hand any higher I'm going to lose it!_

Rick smirked as he saw her take in a shaky breath, her chest heaving up and down. He moved his left hand to her hip, maneuvering a thumb to the waistband of her jeans and feeling the delicate skin there. She froze when he made contact, the swipe of his thumb on her skin testing her control. He scooted closer on the bike, his legs braced on either side holding the motorcycle up and keeping them balanced. His hands and fingers never stopped their movements as he pressed his chest against her back.

"R- Rick?" Kate breathed, closing her eyes. "We should...we should go now."

He nodded, his cheek pressed against hers. "Okay..."

She quickly started up the motorcycle, her hands shaking a bit as she grabbed the handle bars. Rick placed his arms around her stomach, smirking to himself. Kate pulled out of the curb, heading into traffic.

The ride to the station was as quiet as their earlier trip. She didn't dare turn her attention away from the road in front of them. She was able to calm down quite a bit once they got on the road, but Kate could still feel the ghosting of his fingers on her. Rick's own focus centered on the warmth she radiated through fabric and leather, the compression and expansion of her stomach against his hands as she breathed and the shifting of her back against his chest through every turn.

They made it to the precinct in record time, pulling into the lower parking garage. Kate killed the engine, kicking the kickstand down. Rick hugged Kate before getting up and taking the helmet off, his hair a complete mess.

"Wait, stay right there," Rick instructed, pulling out his cell phone. He set his helmet on the ground near his feet.

Kate had just taken her helmet off and was shaking her head. Her once tame ponytail wasn't so tame anymore. "Rick, I'm not posing for you. So put that phone away before I'm forced to take it from you."

"Just one picture. I need to savor this moment...plus, you look smoking hot and I can't let a chance like this go to waste. I've always wanted a sexy picture of you on your bike ever since you mentioned it."

She glared at him with her arms crossed, her helmet was perched in front of her. "No, Castle."

"Why are you going back to calling me Castle? And it's just _one_ picture. Please!" He pleaded. "I promise that this will be for my eyes only. Come on, Kate."

It took her about a minute, but she relented. "Fine, just make it quick."

His face was brighter than a kid on Christmas. Rick's Christmas gift came a bit earlier this year. Rick snapped the picture, secretly taking a few more. He clicked a button and went through his camera roll, gawking at the photos he'd just taken. She looked stunning.

Kate then came over to him, peering over his shoulder. "How's it look?"

"If you were ever to leave the police force, I think you could start a career as a model. You look...beautiful. I could stare at this all day!"

"You better not!" Kate reached for his iPhone, yanking it from his hands. "I'm putting this away so you won't get the opportunity to do that all day. I really don't want someone to see you drooling all over it. Do you have any idea what people would say?"

Rick motioned to say something but Kate raised a hand. "You know what, no. I'd actually rather not hear the answer to that."

"You sure?" He asked, picking up the helmet and following her to the doors.

"Positive. Ryan and Espo would have a field day if they saw the picture. I'd never hear the end of it." Kate pocketed his phone, keeping it out of his reach.

"But it's so sexy!" Rick stated, opening the door for her. "It's even sexier than that piece of fabric you called a swimsuit when we went to LA last year. And I fantasized about that for months!"

"I'm sure you did."

Rick motioned around. "You catch the attention of every male we walk past. When we went to the coffee shop, I noticed a few men staring at you like you were a piece of meat."

"Yeah but they can only look," she began, waving at Ernie as they got to the elevator. "Hey, Ernie!" She greeted.

The older man stared at Kate, not believing what he was seeing. "_Detective Beckett?_ Is that you?"

Kate didn't answer, she merely got on the elevator with Rick in tow. "You," she continued, pressing the button for level four. "Are the only one who gets to _touch_."

A feral growl left his lips and as soon as the double doors closed, he pounced. "You're such a tease."

"I thought you'd know that by now," she breathed, her nose swaying back and forth against his. "Keep up, stud."

Rick kissed her roughly, his teeth pulling on her bottom lip. His free hand cupped her cheek, holding her steady as his mouth descended over hers. Kate's hand found its way to his lower back, slowly heading south. His hitch of breath made Kate smile, getting the exact reaction she was searching for. Her hand grasped his ass, squeezing it as she licked her tongue over his lips.

He was turned on like no other, what this woman did to him was beyond his control. Kate could feel him pressed solidly against her, that, arousing her on its on.

A ding signaled their arrival and Kate yanked her mouth away, steeping out of the elevator without a word. Rick stood there, his face flushed and his lips swollen from their kissing. He eventually followed her to the desk, sitting down rapidly and placing the helmet over his crotch.

Kate smirked, placing her helmet on the far right side of her desk. "Sorry," she mouthed and turned on her computer.

"Uh-huh. Sure you are," he mumbled, twitching in the chair.

She logged in, looking across the bullpen to say hi to Ryan and Espo but they were no where in sight. "Where are the boys?"

Just then the two in question came out of the break room, cups of coffee in their hands. "Hey, guys!" Rick greeted as they took their seats.

"It's about time you two got here," Ryan said, smirking as he held up a newspaper.

Esposito was wearing a matching grin as his partner. "Did you see the article in the-"

The door the Captain's office opened and revealed Gates. "Detective Beckett, Mr. Castle. A word." Her tone was questionable and hard to determine.

Kate and Rick stood, both confused as to why they were being called in. Rick set the helmet on his chair, stepping in stride with Kate as they disappeared into the office.

The boys watched as the door closed behind them. Esposito looked at his partner, "Do you think they know about the newspaper article?"

Ryan shook his head no. "From the looks on their faces, I'm guessing not." They watched as Gates shut the blinds, closing them off to the rest of the world.

Rick and Kate stood near the doorway, not sure if they should sit down or remain standing. Gates watched the couple with great interest, studying their movements.

"You two may sit," Gates instructed, leaning on the front of her desk.

Rick and Kate glanced at one another before hesitantly sitting down. Neither had a clue as to why they were in here. Rick was going through all the bad things he's done recently. Kate was doing the same.

"Have you read today's newspaper?" Gates asked, reaching on her desk for the New York Times.

"Uh, not today, Sir," Kate replied.

"Same here," Rick answered, his hands sweating.

The Captain nodded. "Because I'm curious...how long have you two been together?"

Kate was taken aback by her Captain's bluntness. "I-I'm sorry?"

Gates didn't say a word, she just turned the newspaper around so that Kate and Rick could see the front. The headline wrote: _"Has playboy millionaire, Richard Castle finally won the heart of NYPD Detective, Kate Beckett? Read more inside on page six, pictures included."_

Kate sat up and yanked the newspaper out of Gates' hands, quickly flipping to page six where a few photos took up most of the page. One of the photos was of Rick and Kate as they danced in the fountains and sprinklers from their date on Sunday night. Another was taken of the couple laughing as they left the small grocery store on Saturday morning.

"Oh. My. God."

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><p><strong>There you go!<strong>

**Don't you just love me right now? Cliffhanger! :) ****The game they played: "what's the story?" I got from 'Date Night' with Steve Carell and Tina Fey. I recently watched the movie and thought it'd be a fun little scene for this fic. ****Once again, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter better than the last one! I'm not feeling very confident about this...but I hope y'all can prove me wrong. Please leave a review with your thoughts! They are always welcome! Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello guys!**

**So glad you all enjoyed the last chapter! :) thank you for your thoughtful comments and reviews! You guy rock! Now, we're kind of all over the place in this chapter. It's a long one (longest chapter _EVER_) I hope you enjoy the ride!**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

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><p><strong>[Chapter 21]<strong>

Rick and Kate silently read the article, Gates watching their reactions with curiosity. Kate sighed, handing the newspaper back to her Captain when they were finished reading. "I can't believe this," Kate groaned as she began pacing back and forth. "This is so messed up."

Rick walked over to her, his hands braced on her shoulders to keep her still. "I'll call Paula and make sure that something like this doesn't happen ever again. What we do on the weekend is our business not theirs." Kate slowly nodded, not looking at him. "I know you're not comfortable with this, but it'll be okay. I promise."

"Thank you," she whispered, hugging herself.

Rick smiled lightly, whipping out his phone and dialing the number for his publicist. He moved over to the large window in the office, his back to the two women.

"Have you two noticed any paparazzi following you since Saturday?" Gates asked, breaking the silence.

"No, Sir. We just went grocery shopping and went to lunch on Saturday," Kate replied, sinking down on the arm rest of a chair. "T- the photos in the article looked like they were taken from a distance. So if the paparazzi have been following us, it's not likely we would've taken the time to really notice them."

"Well, if you see anything out of the ordinary, anything at all, I want you to inform me. I will not have my people be publicized and ridiculed like that. You deserve your privacy."

A sigh of relief left Kate's lips. "I will. And thank you."

A small smile appeared on Gates' lips as her tone softened a bit. "So, would you care to enlighten me as to what is going on between the two of you? Are you...together?" Gates inquired, her arms crossed as she leaned against her desk.

"We are."

"I'm happy for you, Detective," Gates offered, shocking Kate. She wasn't so used to the tough as nails Captain to be so kind.

"Uh, t- thank you, Sir?" Kate thanked, a tad confused.

"Just so long as you make sure to keep the working environment professional."

Kate nodded. "You have my word that when we're here we'll be strictly professional."

"Good." The Captain paused before speaking. "You two work well together and even though he's tested my patience more than once, I must admit he has been a valuable asset to your team. Thanks to you and Mr. Castle, we have the highest closing rates in the city."

Kate smiled as she glanced over at the handsome man, watching him as he spoke with his publicist. She turned back to her Captain, "I've said it before and I'll say it again, he is a cop just without the gun and badge."

Gates noticed the look on the detective's face and couldn't help but smile. "I couldn't agree more, Detective."

Kate couldn't believe what she was hearing. Not only is Gates accepting their new relationship but she's also complimenting Rick for all of his hard work. What was going on?

Gates went on, "I do believe that if he is going to continue to shadow you then he should be trained. He's been following you for how long and he hasn't had proper police training?"

Kate's mouth fell open. _"Sir?"_

"This is one of the other reasons I brought you two in here. Now, would you be up to training and teaching him, Detective?"

"I- uh..."

Rick ended the call with his publicist and walked over to join the two women. "Paula's working on it. And she agrees with me, this is nobody else's business but our own. We won't have to worry about those asses anymore, it's taken care of." Upon seeing Kate's expression he asked, "Everything okay?"

"Better than okay. Mr. Castle," Gates said, standing up. "How would you feel if Detective Beckett trained you?"

Rick's eyes grew wide and he gave Kate a look, then turned back to Gates. "Wait, you mean train as in...?"

"Combat and defensive techniques. If you are going to be on the field then you need to be prepared for what's out there and be ready to face it. As I was just telling Detective Beckett, you've been consulting for a long time and haven't had any training, something I would have made you do the minute you stepped in this precinct. Now, are you up to it?" Gates asked, glancing between the two. "Feel free to say no. I just think that in the best interest for your team that it would be a smart move to say yes."

He took the time to think about it before saying, "Yeah, I'm in. Just as long as my partner here is okay with it." He set on a hand on Kate's shoulder, squeezing it.

Gates looked at Kate. "Detective?"

Kate thought things through. Having Rick trained in fighting and defensive skills could be very beneficial, he'd be able to protect himself if something were to happen. Plus, the idea of training him and getting him all sweaty made Kate grin like no other. "Okay, I'll do it. I think it's a great idea, he can be rather clumsy though so I have a lot of work ahead of me," she teased, earning a hurt look from Rick.

_"Hey!"_ He whined, bottom lip sticking out.

Gates moved around her desk, taking a seat in her chair. "It's settled then, you will start training him tomorrow. That is all," she waved her hand, shooing them out. They smiled, moving to leave. "Oh, and Detective Beckett?" Gates called, placing her reading glasses on.

Kate had just reached the door when she turned around. "Yes, Sir?"

Gates' eyes shifted over to Rick and then back to Kate. "Good luck."

The meaning of her statement not clear to either Rick or Kate. Was she wishing them good luck with the training? Or with the relationship and the paparazzi? Kate decided that it was a bit of both.

She gave a slight nod and left the office with Rick behind her. The two made it to her desk, each taking their respective seats.

"You okay?" Rick asked, leaning closer to Kate.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just not used to being plastered all over the newspaper." She took a deep sigh, "But it'll all be old news in a few days and then we'll have nothing to worry about. Thank you for calling Paula and trying to get everything sorted out."

"You're welcome. I'm just glad you're okay with this," Rick smiled. "To be honest, I was afraid you'd take it the wrong way but you proved me wrong."

"I tend to do that a lot, huh?" Kate asked, smirking.

"Yes, you do," Rick winked. "Now with the whole combat-fighting thing, you really want to do that? Like you're really up to it?" He wondered, looking hopeful.

"I do. I think it's a great idea to have you trained. I'm not sure why we didn't think of it sooner."

"So, when do we start?" He asked eagerly.

"Start what?" Ryan asked as he and Esposito walked over to Kate's desk.

Kate smirked, indicating Rick with her pen, "Starting combat training with the man-child. It's Gates' idea."

"Whoa! Dude, that's awesome!" Esposito clapped Rick on the back.

"I know!" The writer grinned, his face lighting up. "We start tomorrow."

Kate tilted the pen in her hand toward Rick. "I'm dragging you in at the crack of dawn, so be ready."

"That's _so_ early," he complained, slumping in his chair. "Can't we come in later?"

"No, we can't." Rick stared at Kate with pleading eyes as she sorted through a few files on her desk. "And stop staring, you know how I feel about that. It's creepy."

"Mmhmm," Rick hummed, smirking at his girlfriend.

"_Anyway,_" Ryan huffed, drawing back their attention. "Did you two see the paper?" He held up the newspaper with the bold headline in view. "You made the front page headline!"

Kate let out a groan, raking her hands through her hair. Her ponytail was falling out, she'd need to fix it later. "Can we please not talk about that?"

The boys just shifted their gaze to Rick, silently asking him if they could hear all about it. "No more talk about the article guys, it's in the past and we'd rather forget about it," Rick said, answering their question. "So, if you could not bring it up again then we'd greatly appreciate it."

Kate shot Rick a thankful look, which he returned with a smile. The boys let out long sighs of disappointment. "You're no fun, you know that?" Esposito asked, a small pout on his lips.

"Get back to work you two," Kate waved off, her focus on the papers in front of her.

"But-"

Scowling her face, Kate's eyes met the two detectives'.

"Oh, there's the look," Ryan's face dropped.

Esposito shuddered. "Come on, bro. Let's get back to work."

She kept her gaze on them, watching as they turned their heads over their shoulders to check and see whether she was still staring or not. The boys sat at their desks, mumbling to each other. Ryan slapped the newspaper on his desk with a huff as he slouched in his chair.

Kate focused her attention back to Rick. "Thank you. They would've been bugging me all day about that damn article had you not said something."

Rick rested his head on the palm of his head as his elbow leaned on Kate's desk. "Anything for you, beautiful."

* * *

><p>"Oh boy, I'll <em>never<em> get tired of that! I can't wait until you take me this weekend!" Rick cheered, getting off the motorcycle and tugging the helmet off. His hair was crazier than ever, pieces sticking up and out in wild directions.

"Gives you a rush of adrenaline, huh?" Kate laughed, getting off the machine as she pulled the helmet off her head. "You should've seen my dad when I came home on it one day. I don't think I've ever seen him so furious with me and I had gotten an earful when he found out about my tattoo, so you could only imagine how mad he was when I got the bike."

Rick laughed, his head shaking as his fingers ran through his disheveled hair. "Speaking of your tattoo..."

"Not gonna tell you where it is. So you might as well stop asking," she smirked.

"Spoilsport, you ruin all my fun," he stuck his tongue out like a small child. "But really, as a father myself I can understand how your dad must've felt. I'd never let Alexis on one of those things."

She led him through the small parking garage to the door that came to the lobby of the apartment complex. She hit the button to call the elevator. "You don't want Alexis on a bike but you're free to go on one yourself? Kind of hypocritical, don't you think?"

Rick hesitated, she made a good point. "Ye-yeah, but I'm the dad, so I get to do what I want. I'm the one in charge."

The elevator arrived and they stepped in the lift, the doors closing in front of them. "You so sure about that? She's more of a parent to you than you are to her. Face it, Rick. You're the child in that relationship."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Kate turned and leaned her side against the back wall of the elevator, her right arm raised. "You guess I'm right? _No, no, no,_" she whispered, moving closer. "When are you gonna learn that I am _always_ right?" She was now right up next to him, her whole body pressed tightly against his.

His breath got caught in his throat. _How the hell can she be all normal one minute and then all sexy the next?_ Rick thought as Kate trailed a finger up and down his heaving chest. _Must be a woman thing._

He had to think of a good come back, but he was struggling a bit. Rick finally said, "I- I am a slow learner."

Kate smiled mischievously, her finger finding its way up and down his throat. Her finger left a trail of goosebumps in its wake, Rick shivered unable to control himself. And just like earlier today in the elevator at the precinct, Kate left him high and dry as they arrived on her floor. Rick trailed behind as he followed Kate to her door. She took long strides, causing her hips to swing just a little more than usual. Rick couldn't keep his eyes away, he was drawn to her. She tossed him a grin over her shoulder as she waited for him to reach her.

Unlocking the door, they set their helmets and other belongings down on a small table near the door.

"You hungry?" Kate asked as she slipped out of the knee-high boots, her feet aching from wearing them all day. She definitely preferred her high heels a lot better.

Rick took his shoes off too, setting them near Kate's boots. "Starving," he groaned as he sat down on the couch and stretched out, taking up the entire length of it.

"What sounds good?" Kate called as she got to the kitchen, grabbing two wine flutes and a bottle of red wine that she rarely ever used.

Rick leaned his head back on the arm rest and looked over at Kate. "I've been craving a burrito all day. Wanna do Mexican? It's easy and delicious."

She smiled as she poured a nice helping of wine in each of the glasses. "That's fine. You wanna go ahead and order while I go change?" She asked, moving to the couch, giving Rick his wine, and setting hers on the coffee table. "I need to get out of these clothes."

He waggled his eyebrows up at her, sitting up. "Need any assistance with that? Because I'd be happy to volunteer."

That earned him a smack on the arm. "I think I can manage just fine without you," Kate scoffed. "I have been dressing myself for quite some time now, I'm pretty sure I know what to do."

Rick took a sip of his wine, lifting the glass up toward Kate. "Just holler if you need me. I'll be waiting out here..._all alone."_

Kate leaned down and kissed him briefly on the lips. "I'll be right back."

"Miss you already," he sighed as he watched her retreat to her bedroom. She didn't lock the door only closed it, so if he wanted to he could walk right in. He thought better of it though because he valued his life and Kate would be sure to kill him if he went anywhere near the door. Rick decided that it'd be best if he just called and ordered their dinner rather than causing himself bodily harm. So he did, knowing exactly what to get.

Kate emerged from the confines of her bedroom moments later, donning a gray NYPD t-shirt and some navy pajama shorts. The shorts came up mid-thigh, displaying a gracious amount of smooth skin. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, a few tendrils loose. Her feet were bare, a purple colored nail polish covering her toe nails.

Seeing that Rick was on the phone, she silently moved over to the couch and joined him. Kate tucked her legs underneath herself and leaned into his side. His voice was deep and soothing, it put her at ease as she cuddled into him.

He smiled down at her as he told the recipient on the other end of the line her address. "Thank you. Bye," Rick hung up the phone, reaching over to set it on the coffee table next to their drinks.

"Hi," Kate whispered, smiling up at her boyfriend.

Rick placed his arm over her shoulders, his fingers trailing up and down her upper arm. "Hi," he whispered back. "Food should be here in about fifteen to twenty minutes."

"What on earth are we going to do with so much time?" Kate mused, a sly look on her face.

Rick quickly caught on, a smile makings its way to his face. "I was thinking we could do a little of this..." His lips attached to hers in a sweet caress, tasting and enjoying her.

Kate returned the kiss, pushing her tongue forcefully into his mouth and deepening the kiss. She pivoted her torso so she was now facing him completely and her hands rested on Rick's arms for support. Slowly, she brought herself up to his lap, a leg on either side of him. Her hands snaked their way towards his shoulders as she straddled him.

His tongue found its way into Kate's mouth as she parted her lips. He roughly smothered her mouth with his own. Removing his hands from her cheeks, he glided them towards her hips and kept them there. Rick's groin was straining as Kate moved over him, her hips rocking slightly against his. God, they were on fire. She was moaning and panting, already so lost into the kiss.

Rick's hands were on her waist, holding her still. He couldn't take it with her hips gyrating like that right above him.

The kiss was hot, passionate and full of lust. It didn't last as long as Kate would've liked; he broke away from the kiss first, panting. She rested her forehead against his, trying to catch her breath and get it back to a steady rhythm. She cupped his face in her palms, her thumbs stroking his cheekbones.

_"God-"_ Kate breathed, moving her mouth directly next to Rick's ear. She took the lobe between her teeth and tugged, earning a deep moan from Rick's throat.

Rick focused on his breathing and attempted to calm himself down. But with Kate nipping at his ear like she was, it was rather hard to concentrate. The grip he had on her hips tightened with every tug of his ear lobe. Right as he felt her hands pull on the hem of his shirt, her doorbell chimed.

Kate pulled back, her breathing hitched and her face flushed. "Food's here," she breathed.

"Sh- should we answer it?" Rick dumbly asked, not wanting to get up.

She played with the buttons on his shirt, undoing one. "We probably should...don't want the poor kid to wait out there all night."

Rick released his grip and let her go. She got off his lap and moseyed over to the front door, attempting to fix her appearance up a bit. Grabbing her wallet off the table, she opened the door.

"Hi," she greeted, hip resting on the door.

"That'll be $17.48," the teenager said, holding up two white plastic bags.

Kate paid and thanked the delivery boy before heading back to Rick. She scooted their wine glasses over and set the bags down. "I'm gonna go get some paper plates. You want some more wine?" Kate asked, already moving about her kitchen.

"Y- yes, please," his voice was a bit shaky.

"You okay?" Kate sat back down on the couch and handed him a paper plate, setting the bottle of wine down.

He nervously chuckled, shaking his head no. "I'm just trying to calm down f- from...well, _you know_."

Kate took a bite of her burrito. "Sorry. I just got a bit excited," she weakly smiled, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Well, I got _a lot_ excited," Rick sighed, trying to get into a comfortable position. He was twisting and shifting on the couch, unable to get comfortable.

That caused Kate to laugh, her hand flew up to her mouth as she suppressed a giggle. It was pretty funny. "I- I'm...I'm sorry. I shouldn't be laughing," her voice was high and a bit squeaky as more giggles bubbled out of her.

Rick sat there, eating his own burrito, with a frown on his face. "No, you shouldn't. If you were a guy, you'd understand."

"If- if I was a guy, then I'd be _extremely_ worried," Kate stated, her voice gradually getting back to normal. "You know, unless I got this whole biology thing messed up, I'm pretty sure I'm a woman."

Rick couldn't help it, he laughed causing Kate to go back into her little fit of giggles. The couple sat on the couch laughing hysterically; tears were streaming down cheeks and sides were aching. It was so nice to spend time, alone, with one another.

And they still had the entire night to do so.

* * *

><p>Kate was in the bathroom brushing her teeth while Rick remained in her bedroom, sitting on the bed.<p>

"Hey, Kate?" He called.

She poked her head out the door, toothbrush dangling in her mouth. "Hmm?"

"What am I going to wear to bed?" He tugged on his shirt to emphasize. "I didn't bring a spare change of clothes."

"Oh." She took the toothbrush out of her mouth, deep in thought. "Just take your jeans and shirt off. As long as you have boxers on, I'm fine with it."

Rick grinned, immediately stripping himself of his jeans and button-down. He had on a white undershirt, showing off his strong muscles. "You want me to keep the undershirt on or can I take it off?"

"Do whatever you'd like," Kate said. He could hear her spit out the toothpaste into the sink.

He shrugged, removing the shirt. Kate emerged and stopped in her tracks when she saw him bare-chested and only clad in boxer shorts. She'd never seen so much skin. His shoulders were broad and strong, his chest firm, his stomach taut. A dark trail of hair ran from his naval and disappeared down beneath his boxer shorts. Rick was a sight to behold.

"Like what you see?" Rick smirked, starting to unmake the bed.

Kate's jaw dropped, a bit of drool sliding out of her mouth. She couldn't speak, too in awe of him. She moved over to the bed, slipping in next to him. He had unintentionally taken her side of the bed, something that wasn't very important to Kate at the moment. Her eyes scanned over his upper body, a blush on her cheeks. "Where have you been hiding?" Kate finally sighed, scooting even closer to him.

He chuckled, pulling Kate down beside him and toward his chest. Her head rested in the crook of his neck, nice and comfortable. "Wanna know a secret?" Kate nodded like a small child who was about to be told the world's largest mystery. He moved his mouth right by her ear, his hot breath sending goosebumps all down Kate's body.

"I love you," Rick whispered.

Kate swatted him lightly on the chest, Rick capturing her hand and bringing it to his mouth. He kissed her lightly on the palm, looking at her with mischief in his blue eyes. "I already knew that you goof!" She yelped, taking her hand away.

"I know," Rick grinned. "But really, when I'm not at the precinct helping you with a case or working on my next best-seller, I'll go to the gym and lift a few weights. I gotta stay fit."

A hand trailed up and down his bare chest, going dangerously low. "You've certainly done a _very_ good job of that," Kate mumbled, becoming a little distracted with the smoothness of his skin.

Rick let out a small laugh when he felt her finger slide down the left side of his stomach. Kate raised an eyebrow in question, was he ticklish? Only one way to find out.

She moved her finger back down his side, earning another chuckle from the back of his throat. Her question answered. Soon, Kate violently attacked his sides, sitting up and straddling him to get a better angle. Her fingers were relentless as she tickled him, small gasps coming out of Rick's mouth.

_"Uncle!_ Uncle!" He cried out, reaching for Kate's hands to halt her actions. Kate stopped her movements, sitting back and crossing her arms with a proud grin on her lips. Rick sat up, holding his torso up by putting all his weight on his forearms. His hands moved to her knees, drawing random patterns with his finger tips. "Are you always this aggressive in bed?" He wondered, looking up at her with curious eyes.

The detective bent down and kissed him roughly on the lips, tugging on his bottom lip before pulling away entirely. "It's possible," she teased, a glimmer in her brown-green eyes.

"You're something else, Kate Beckett," Rick stated, smiling up at her with his signature goofy grin. "Always teasing me...am I just that easy of a target?"

"Yep," Kate simply said, giggling. "But it's fun to tease you because of the reactions I get. I'll never grow tired of it."

"That may be so. But just know that this whole taunting thing can go both ways. You might find yourself on the other side of the teasing street and I'm just as cruel as you are. If not, more."

She kissed him again, her lips lingering. "Bring it on, stud. _Bring it on,_" she mumbled against his lips, their breaths mixing.

They kissed for a while longer, their mouths dueling and fighting for dominance. When they broke apart, both had identical expressions on their faces.

"We should probably go to sleep," Kate suggested, glancing over at the alarm clock on her bedside table. It read eleven o'clock. "We have to be at the precinct bright and early tomorrow. And we should leave a bit earlier so we can stop by your place to grab you some gym clothes."

Rick's head hit the pillow as he placed his hands over his face, moaning and grumbling to himself. "Why so early? Can't we do it after work?"

She got off his lap and snuggled into his side, her head back in the crook of his neck. "Nope. Because it'll wake you up and get your blood pumping," Kate reasoned. "And it's not like we're going in at four in the morning, you big baby. We'll leave here at about six-thirty, go to your loft, and then hopefully get to the precinct around seven-fifteen."

A grunt left his lips. "It's gonna be a long day tomorrow," Rick complained, an unhappy look taking homage on his face.

"Yeah it will," Kate told him honestly. "But it'll so be worth it in the end. Trust me." Rick nodded, hugging her with his arms wrapped over her. "Good night, Rick."

He pressed a kiss into her hair, closing his eyes. "Good night, Kate. Love you."

She was already fading as sleep began to catch up with her. "Love you too..."

* * *

><p>Kate knocked on the door that led to Rick's bedroom. "Could you be any slower in there? How long does it take to put on shorts and a shirt?"<p>

The couple had woken up at six, giving them enough time to scarf down a light breakfast and allowing Kate to get changed. She wore a pair of tight fitting yoga pants and a black tank top, her hair was back in a simple braid. Luckily, Kate had an extra pair of clothes at the precinct so she didn't have to worry about bringing any work attire.

They had arrived to Rick's loft around six-thirty via taxi cab. Kate had brought along Alexis' pajamas that she had borrowed the other night, seeing that it was the perfect opportunity to do so. Rick and Kate rushed inside so Rick could get ready while Kate impatiently waited for him. Which is where she found herself now, standing outside his door with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

_"Rick!"_ Kate yelled, banging on the door for a second time. "The taxi's waiting downstairs and the meter is running! Hurry up!"

Alexis came downstairs upon hearing all the commotion. "Hey, Kate!" The teen greeted, coming into the study and sitting on her father's chair. "What's going on?"

Kate smiled at the teen. "Hey, Alexis. I'm just taking your dad in early to do some defense and combat training upon orders from my Captain."

Alexis leaned back in the chair, bringing her legs up to her chest. "Oh, that should be interesting," the teen chuckled.

"_Oh, yeah!_ And hey, sorry if I woke you up, but your dad is just being _super slow!_" She yelled the last bit at the door, intending for Rick to hear it.

"Don't worry. I've been up since six, so I was just catching up on some reading. I'm an early riser."

Kate huffed, leaning against the frame of the door. "Wish the same could be said for your father. He can be really cranky in the morning."

The door opened to reveal a smirking Rick, clad in red athletic shorts that ended right at his knees and a black muscle shirt that was snug against him. "I heard that," he grinned, pointing a finger in Kate's direction. "And sorry. I couldn't find my sneakers."

Kate turned to Alexis. "Excuses, excuses. I'll see you later, kid!

"Bye, Kate! Good luck!" Alexis yelled. "And bye, dad! Love you! Don't die!"

Kate yanked Rick by the hand, tugging him through his study and toward the door before he even had the chance to say a word to his daughter. "We're wasting precious time. You have an extra change of clothes, right?" Kate asked, turning around just as they reached his front door.

He held up a gym bag with his free hand. "Got 'em."

"Good," Kate opened the door and headed down the tightly spaced hallway, going straight to the elevator. "Now, let's go."

Rick yelled goodbye to Alexis before he shut his door and sent up a silent prayer, begging that Kate would go easy on him and that he would survive this.

But he knew better; she was going to push him hard. He was in for quite the treat...

* * *

><p><strong>Whoo! :)<strong>

**Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments! I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Rick's training is the main focus of the next chapter! :) Thanks for reading! Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello!**

**Sorry for the delay, real life got a hold on me once more and I've been super busy! Hope y'all enjoy this chapter! As I said before, this is focused all on Rick's training :) please leave a review with your thoughts!**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 22]<strong>

Rick and Kate reached the vacant Homicide floor, heading straight for the stairs that led to the gym on the floor above.

Kate opened a door and blindly reached for the light switch on the right wall, flicking the switch up. The lights overhead slowly turned on to reveal a decent sized room with a giant blue wrestling mat in the center. Hanging from the ceiling were a few worn down punching bags that took place on the left of the room. A small door on the right led to the weight room where all of the lifting equipment sat, including a treadmill and a stationary bike.

Rick set his gym bag down on a small bench against the wall before moving to the middle of the mat and joining Kate. "What are we doing first? Blocks, hits, what?" He wondered, bouncing on the balls of his feet in excitement.

Her hands were on her hips. "Before we do any of that, we're going to stretch out and get warmed up. Don't want you pulling or straining anything."

"Oh...okay," Rick nodded, standing right next to Kate.

She pulled one arm over her chest, holding it tightly with her other hand and stretching out her upper arms. Rick copied her, both holding the position for ten seconds before switching arms. The two stretched out for a bit, trying to get as loose as possible. Kate led Rick in a few lunges as they made their way across the room.

The writer stayed a little father behind Kate so he could just watch her and the way her leg muscles moved with every lunge. A few minutes later they were warmed up and ready to go.

Kate then led Rick over to a closet where jump ropes, training bands, and gloves were stashed. She grabbed some wraps and some sparring gloves. "First things first, we have to wrap our hands with the gauss."

Rick lifted the bandages up and inspected it. "What are these for?"

Kate smirked at him. "It helps stabilize the entire hand and wrist area, and it protects the bones and tendons in your hands. It also keeps the wrist and thumb stable, preventing you from hurting yourself."

He nodded as he took one of the bandages and began to wrap it around his hand. Rick had no idea what he was doing and Kate noticed this, so she assisted him. She quickly finished Rick's hands before doing her own. They each put on sparring gloves and moved to the center of the mat.

"Alright, Rick," Kate began. "What do you know about defense training?"

"Not much...I've never really done anything like this before," he admitted with a shrug of shoulders.

"That's okay. It's why I'm teaching you," Kate smiled. "But it's not going to all be fun and games. This is serious stuff and you need to pay attention."

"Got it."

"Good. Now show me your ready stance."

Rick looked down at his feet, unsure of what to do. "Uh..."

Kate smirked, moving behind Rick. With her hands braced on his hips, she kicked his feet shoulder-width apart. Then she nudged his right foot back and his left foot a little bit ahead of his right. "This keeps you stay balanced," she told him. "Bend your knees slightly."

Rick did. Kate smiled and moved around to his front. His hands were slack at his sides, so Kate fixed that. She took them in hers and raised them so they were level with his chin, his fists clenched tight in the black gloves.

Kate then, without warning, threw a punch in his direction. Her hand stopped right in front of his face, causing Rick to let out a girlish yelp and duck.

"_Whoa!_ What was that for?" Rick shrieked, his hands up in a defensive stance. "I wasn't ready! And you could've hit me!"

"Focus," Kate ordered. "You need to be prepared for anything that comes at you. If you're in a fight, your opponent won't wait until you're in your stance and ready. And I wasn't going to hit you...I was in complete control."

Rick slowly lowered his hands, looking wearily at Kate. "Y- you won't hit me?"

"If you actually listen, then I won't." He nodded, ready. "What should you do if your attacker throws a punch at your head?"

At that Kate raised a gloved fist and slowly put it in front of Rick's face. He sent her a blank look, "Umm..."

"You block it," she instructed, her fist still raised.

"And how do I do that?" Rick asked, totally clueless.

Kate lowered her hand and grabbed Rick's, clenching his fist and placing it in front of her face. "Watch me. I'll do it slow the first time so you can see it." She raised her left arm up across her body so it was parallel with the floor. As her arm passed her face, she swept her arm up and rotated her hand so that the palm was facing out, allowing her forearm to come into contact with Rick's fist. "Doing this catches, cushions, and diverts the blow," Kate informed him. Rick nodded. "Now, I want you to try and punch me. I'll block it so you can see it in normal speed, okay?"

Rick was hesitant, "I don't want to hurt you..."

She gave him a smile. "You won't hurt me. I promise."

A sigh left his lips as he nodded slowly. Rick waited a moment before he motioned to punch Kate. She blocked him with ease, deflecting his fist. She had done it so fast Rick was in awe. "Wow," he breathed.

"You wanna try now?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, but can we do it slow at first? I wanna get the hang of it."

Kate smiled softly at him. "Of course. I want you to get the technique down first anyways."

They practiced this many times until Rick had it down. Kate began to do it at a fast speed, Rick blocking it every time. The detective then showed Rick the basics of dodging and throwing jabs. This went on for quite some time, giving Rick the practice he needed to get it down to an art.

Kate smiled as she watched Rick. He picked up in it all fast and was doing a remarkable job. "Okay, superstar," she grinned, hands back on her hips. "Take a 5 minute water break and then when we get back, I want to see what you've got."

Both were starting to sweat, beads perspiration sliding down their foreheads. Rick smiled, "I'll try and go easy on you."

"I don't want you to. Give me everything you've got, Rick. I don't want any of that pansy crap, go hard on me."

Rick smirked, his eyebrows waggling in a suggestive manner. "Oh, I can go..._hard_, Kate. Don't you worry."

"Not what I meant and you know it."

Rick chuckled, leaving the room to go to the drinking fountain right outside the door. He returned a minute or two later ready to go. "I'm ready," he stated, getting into the stance she showed him earlier. "Prepare to be beaten."

Kate got in her stance, hands up. "All talk and no action. And here I thought you'd be a decent opponent. Pity."

Rick glared at her, ready to show her who's boss. "Let's go."

_"Oh, commanding,"_ Kate breathed, trying to get him off his game by speaking with her bedroom voice. "I like that."

The two spun in a circle, a few feet of distance between them. Their gazes were locked, unrelenting.

"Don't think that you'll faze me with that sexy voice of yours," Rick cockily spat. "I'll still take you down."

"We going to talk or fight?" Kate asked, calculating her steps as she thought things through.

Rick huffed out a breath of air. "Let's fight, sweetheart."

Kate smiled as she made the first move, faking a jab to Rick's left before going at his right, trying to get his head. He dodged it, tossing a punch at Kate. He was going for her side but she expertly blocked it, pushing his fist away. She rapidly shot up her left leg and nailed Rick in the stomach, shoving him to the ground with an oof.

He grunted in pain, but quickly got his bearings and hobbled back up, getting into his stance. She was smirking at him, an air of pride around her.

"I can do this all day," Kate taunted, her breathing a tad hitched. "Is that the best you've got?"

Rick shook his head, "O_oh no._ You haven't seen anything yet!"

He lunged for her, grabbing her right hand as she moved to hit him with it, securing it behind her back and holding it there. Kate yelped in pain as Rick held her tight, not letting her hand go. With her left hand Kate reached back and jabbed Rick's side. Then she stepped on his foot hard, making him release his grip as he took a step back, his foot throbbing.

Kate went after him, her right hand aiming for his head again. Rick blocked it, just like Kate had taught him, and grabbed her around the waist. Lifting her up, her threw her down onto the mat. She gasped as soon as her back made contact with the ground. She took in a large breath, her eyes closed briefly before she looked up at Rick.

"Doesn't feel very good, does it?" Rick asked, holding a hand out for her.

She looked at his offered hand and debated whether to take it or not. She could use this little act of chivalry to her advantage. Kate smiled sweetly at him, taking his hand. As soon as she grabbed it, she yanked on it pulling Rick down with her. He was caught completely by surprise as he fell. Rick landed right next to Kate, his stomach hitting the floor with a thump. Kate then straddled his back, pulling his left leg up with one hand and pushing down on his head with the other.

Rick's face was squished between the mat and Kate's hand, putting him in a very uncomfortable position. Kate pulled his leg up to her back as she pushed harder on his head. He yelped in pain when she tugged his leg. He had to act fast. Rick, with all the strength he had, bucked Kate off his back and sent her flying. She landed on her side, rolling a bit.

He jumped after her, landing directly on top of her. He grabbed one of her legs and pushed it back toward her chest, his hips hitting hers. Kate gasped when she felt his hips touch hers. Her arms were raised above her head, not wanting to move them. She was trapped.

He gazed down at the woman below him, all sweaty and sexy. He noticed that her eyes had darkened and were shining with want. The position they were in was quite..._intimate._

"R-Rick?" Kate called, her voice low and throaty. A single bead of sweat sliding from her forehead to her cheek.

He didn't say anything. Rick merely leaned down and kissed her, his arms unconsciously finding their way to Kate's sides. The leg that was braced by Rick's hand was released and Kate straightened it out. Rick's hips rubbed against hers, Kate could feel his growing arousal. She bit on his lip, her arms raising up and encircling his neck. Kate pushed her tongue forcefully into his mouth and deepened the kiss. She smothered his mouth with her own, causing Rick to let out a deep moan from the back of his throat.

Oxygen became a necessity all too fast and the couple broke apart, their mouths ghosting over one another. Rick opened his eyes and stared down at Kate, who had just opened her own eyes. She looked up at him with an amused expression. "You knew how to fight and block the entire time, didn't you?"

Rick kissed her gently. "Yeah." The writer rested his arms on either side of Kate's head, his forearms holding him up. Kate's hands were tangled in his sweaty muscle shirt, wrinkling it.

"How come you didn't tell me? This whole time I could've been teaching you more advance techniques, instead of the basics."

He grinned. "Where's the fun in that?"

Kate giggled underneath him, their chests pressed firmly together. "Just know that next time...I won't be so nice."

"Mmm," Rick hummed, moving his lips to Kate's neck. He began kissing his way up to her ear, biting in her earlobe. "Who said I want you to be nice? Naughty Kate is going to be so much more fun..."

Kate bit her lip as Rick continued to attack her neck, his mouth so delicate yet so rough at the same time. One hand traveled down to the hem of Kate's tank top, lifting it up. Rick smiled as he touched the soft, smooth skin he found there.

A pair of footsteps outside the door halted their movements, Kate and Rick pulled apart just in time to see the door swing open.

* * *

><p><strong>I am evil, aren't I? :)<strong>

**I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as possible! I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! I had a lot of fun writing it. Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments. I love hearing from you guys! :) Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hi!**

**Thank you for all of your love and support! :) I'm glad y'all enjoyed the last chapter! We'll have more of the sparring sessions soon! (maybe even sooner than you think hehehe) and this is a really short chapter, so I apologize. I just haven't had any time to write. I'm sorry! And ****I am just blown away by all the love this story has gotten! You guys are awesome! So thank you very much!**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

* * *

><p><strong>[Chapter 23]<strong>

"Hello there," Esposito greeted as he leaned against the frame of the door with his arms crossed, a smirk making homage on his lips.

Ryan poked his head out behind his partner, grinning. "Looks like we caught mom and dad," Ryan cleared his throat, _"Wrestling."_

Rick and Kate laid on the floor, wild hair strewn about, faces flushed, lips swollen, and Kate's shirt was riding up exposing part of her flat stomach. Busted.

"H-hi fellas," Rick smiled, attempting to play it cool. "What brings you up here?"

"Oh, we just wanted to see you two spar and see if you actually know what you're doing," the Hispanic detective smirked as the duo entered the room and sat down on the bench.

"But from the looks of it," Ryan started. "You seemed to have quite the grasp of..._things._" Rick and Kate looked down to see that Rick still had a hand on Kate's hip, right on her exposed skin. They hastily pulled apart, their cheeks turning red with every passing second. "So, are you two going to sit there with your mouths hanging open or are you gonna fight?" Ryan asked, looking between the two.

"Uh..." Kate breathed, unable to find the words.

"We're gonna fight!" Rick cheered, a smile on his face.

_"Rick!"_

Kate and Rick shared a gaze. "What? It'll be fun! Plus, I can show the boys how good I actually am!"

She glared at him. "We'll see about that." Her aggressiveness and competitiveness coming back in full swing.

They slowly stood up. Kate yanked down her disheveled tank top, covering her stomach.

"You two need to video this," Rick grinned. "I've already kicked Kate's ass once, but I'd like to get actual proof of it this time." Rick got in his stance, his fists up.

"Way ahead of you, bro," Esposito stated, phone out and ready to record.

"Espo, you put that phone away or so help me," Kate growled, her eyes on Rick.

Esposito refused to do so and went ahead and pressed the record button. "No can do, Beckett. I gotta video this, it's a gold mine."

Kate glared at the two detectives. "If that goes online, you're dead."

"Dually noted," he gave a curt nod. "Now, come on! I want to see Castle get his butt whupped!"

Rick looked over at the boys with a look of surprise on his face. "_Hey!_ I thought you were rooting for me?"

Ryan shook his head. "We never said that! We just want to get a video of you two going at it!"

While Rick was distracted by the boys, Kate lunged for him. She kicked him hard in the stomach like before, sending him flying on the ground. The boys fist pumped as soon as that happened. Rick glared up at Kate as she stood over him with an evil grin on her lips; she looked way too pleased with this.

"You sure you want to go through with this, Ricky?" Kate asked as she began to walk in a circle around him. "I don't want to humiliate you in front of the boys."

Rick growled and kicked his leg out, capturing Kate's leg with his own and causing Kate to lose her balance, sending her down on her back. The boys cringed as they watched.

"That had to hurt," Ryan groaned, his fist up by his mouth as he looked away.

Esposito just nodded, too enthralled with the action that was taking place in front of them. It was like they had their own personal show right there. It was extremely entertaining! Especially, when Rick proved to be up in the same level as Kate. Something that surprised both Ryan and Esposito.

Rick crawled over to Kate, pinning her down. He had her arms pinned above her head and her legs were flailing underneath Rick. She was stuck. "You sure you want to go through with this, Kate?" Rick echoed her words right back at her. "I wouldn't want to humiliate you in front of the boys."

She hooked a leg with his and pushed up with all the strength she had, putting herself up on top. She pinned his arms and his hands like he had done to her; Rick wasn't going anywhere. He squirmed but Kate pressed down even harder on him, making him cringe in pain. She leaned down, her face right above his.

"Give up?" She whispered, a smirk on her lips.

Rick glanced over to Ryan and Esposito, they merely shrugged not knowing what to do. Esposito was still video recording their sparring session. The writer looked back to the detective above him. He let out a sigh, defeat all over his face. "Alright, _alright!_ You win! Just let me go!"

Kate let go out his hands and sat back on Rick's lap, her hands raised in victory. "Okay, Espo please tell me you got _that_ on video," she called over her shoulder.

The Hispanic detective smirked, waving the phone in his hand. "It's all on here."

Kate smirked down at him, chuckling. "So, was that you kicking my ass or was that something else entirely?"

He glared up at her, seeing that the tables had turned. "_Ha ha._ Very funny," he joked dryly. "Now, can you please get off of me?"

She huffed a breath before standing and reaching a hand down to help Rick up. He took her hand hesitantly, unsure if she would just push him down again. The two made their way over to the boys who were replaying the video over and over again.

"Castle, you should've seen your face when Beckett kicked you!" Ryan cried, his eyes on the small screen. _"Oh, wait._ We can show you your face!"

At that, Esposito paused the video and handed the phone to Rick as the boys laughed at his reaction. The paused frame was of Kate nailing Rick in the stomach while he had on a stupid expression, looking totally stunned and surprised.

"I'm just going to delete this..." Rick mumbled as he moved to press the delete button on the phone.

Kate yanked the phone away before he got the chance. "_Oh, no!_ We're keeping this just in case we need to deflate that enormous ego of yours."

"I'm hurt. You would use that as blackmail?" Rick whined, reaching for the phone as Kate kept it out of his reach.

She gave him a look. "Duh," she snorted, tossing the phone back to Esposito. "Let's go get cleaned up and then we can head downstairs."

The boys grinned as they stood from the bench and began to head out. "Oh, and Espo!" Kate called just as the detective was leaving. "Make sure you send me a copy of that video! I could sure use a good laugh now and then, and that video would be the perfect fix!"

She heard him reply, "I'm sending it to you and Lanie as we speak!"

Rick groaned at the mention of the Medical Examiner; he'll never live this down with Lanie seeing it.

Kate grinned as she looked over at Rick. "Oh, don't you worry," she cooed, pinching his cheek. "I still love you...even if you did get beaten up by a girl."

He waved her off. "Yeah, yeah." Kate laughed all the way down to the Homicide floor while he just sulked behind.

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><p><strong>Whoo!<strong>

**Sorry this was a short chapter but I'm just _SUPER_ busy! I'll try to post the next chapter when I can! Thank you guys for being so supportive! Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello dearies!**

**I am so very sorry about the delay of this chapter. And ****I just want to thank you guys for being so patient with me! I really appreciate it! You guys are the reason that I love to write! :)**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/  
><strong>

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><p><strong>[Chapter 24]<strong>

The weekend arrived before they knew it and, like Kate had promised, she was getting herself ready to take Rick out for a ride on her Harley for the day. Just the two of them together all day with no distractions, no work, no anything...something that they were both thrilled about.

The rest of the week had been slow to say in the least. They had gotten a body drop on early Thursday morning but it was solved in a heart beat. The killer didn't stray too far from the crime scene and they caught him with the gun in his hand. He'd said that he merely found the gun and that he just started wandering around, tossing out lie after lie. But as soon as they brought the young man in he sang like a canary, the atmosphere of the interrogation room being too much for him to handle. It was quick and easy.

After the case was closed, it was back to the piles of paperwork. The remainder of the week was spent at Kate's desk as she filled out file after file. Every now and then, Rick would beg Kate to take a break so that they could spar. She never said no, the memory of kicking his ass the first time still fresh in her brain. She'd tease him about the video that Esposito had filmed that day, something that continued to make her laugh every time she watched it. Rick on the other hand was less than pleased about the video...

A knock was heard on Rick's front door as he was getting ready. Glancing at the clock, he grinned to himself. _Nine-thirty. Right on time,_ he thought, slipping on his jacket. _Why does that not surprise me?_

He opened the door to find Kate in tight fitting leather all over her body, leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed. "Good morning," she smirked.

Rick gulped, looking her up and down from head to toe. She had on a deep red bandanna tied on top of her head, her curly hair cascading down her shoulders. Her jacket was snug, pushing her chest out and showing off her curves. A simple white v-neck tee was prodding from underneath. Rick nearly passed out when he saw the extremely tight leather pants on her mile long legs. They were like a second skin on her, they were so tight. The pants were tucked into black biking boots that had a ton of straps going up the sides. She truly did look like a biker chick.

"Uhhh..." he mumbled, his hand frozen on the door handle and his feet glued to the floor.

Kate took a step inside, patting him on the cheek. "I thought you were a best-selling author? A man with a vast arsenal of vocabulary and rapier wit? The leather too much for ya, Ricky?" She made her way into the loft, grinning to herself. She loved to tease him. But she had to be careful because he knew how to tease right back.

It took her all of her strength and will power to not stare at him when he had opened the door. He looked good in leather and Kate couldn't help but admire that. With her back turned from the writer, she bit her lip, a blush coloring her cheeks. She needed to calm down and fast, but the image of him in that faded leather jacket and snug black jeans wouldn't leave her mind.

Kate took a deep breath before she got the courage to turn around. "You ready to go?" She asked, her voice a little scratchy and timid. Her eyes immediately flew to his rear as he was still facing the entrance.

He turned around at her words, he could hear the shaky tone in her voice and was curious as to what caused it. Finding her eyes on his ass, he grinned to himself. "Now, Kate. Don't tell me you were staring at my butt," he said, his eyes sparkling as a huge smile appeared on his lips. "The leather too much for you?"

She darted her eyes up to meet his, guilt written all over her face. "No," Kate mumbled, casting her gaze down to the floor.

"You were _so_ staring!" He yelped, a finger pointed in her direction.

"Your ego is already big enough, I'd hate to inflate it anymore," she flat out stated, trying to mask it all. "Can we go now please?" She asked, moving for the door.

Rick followed behind her, shutting the door. "Just know that you can stare at my butt whenever you'd like."

"I'll make a note of it," Kate joked, hitting the down button to call the elevator.

Leaning in close and without warning, he brought her face to his, his large hands cupping her cheeks. Rick's lips caressed Kate's in a sweet and tender kiss, all of the teasing from earlier behind them. The ding of the elevator sounded, but neither seemed to notice. As he eventually pulled away, Rick leaned his forehead against hers. "Good morning, beautiful."

With her eyes still closed, Kate felt a tug on the corners of her lips as a small smile appeared. "Morning, stud. You do look good in leather by the way," she added, stepping on the elevator as she winked at him.

Rick moved behind her while they descended, wrapping his arms around her middle and setting his chin on her shoulder. "I knew it'd have an effect on you," he grinned, kissing and nipping her neck gently, earning a soft moan from Kate's lips.

"Seems like I'm not the only one who has been affected," she mused, her hands covering his as they rested on her stomach.

"You know what it does to me when you wear leather," he growled, tugging on her ear lobe. "I- I just...I can't even speak, I'm so taken away."

Kate chuckled, lightly. "Well, prepare to be breathless," she whispered in teasing manner. The elevator dinged and she left Rick alone in the elevator as she headed outside of the building.

Rick ran and caught up with her, stopping in his tracks as he watched her mount the powerful machine. The sight of her straddling it in tight black leather never growing old, it..._did things to him._

"Rick, you comin'?" Kate called, revving the engine, her helmet already on.

He could only nod as he slowly grabbed the second helmet off the back and slipped in behind her, placing the helmet on and strapping it below his chin. His arms wrapped immediately around her mid-section. "Where exactly are you taking me?" He yelled over the powerful sound of the engine.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out!" She yelled back, kicking the stand up and crossing into the early morning traffic.

* * *

><p>The couple soared down the open road, wind nipping at their skin. Kate had taken them as far away from the city as possible so that there weren't other cars or distractions. She slowed down, the motorcycle stopping with a screech on the vacant street. Kate sighed as she relaxed her arms and legs, having to be in the position for over an hour or so had really messed with her body.<p>

Rick released his grip and placed his hands on his thighs as he watched Kate stretched. "Please tell me we stopped because it's my turn," he said hopefully.

Kate turned around in her seat, nodding with a smile. Rick let out a small cheer. "I have a few rules though before we get started," she informed him.

Rick's features dropped. "Of course you do."

That earned him a swat on the arm. "Shush. If you don't listen and obey, I will take us back and you won't get to ride on my bike ever again."

He nodded as Kate listed off all of the rules that needed to be followed. The rules were there for his own safety, Kate knew how he liked to throw out the rule book and go rogue, but these were important so he listened intently. She then began going over the basics for controlling the bike.

"Any questions?" She asked after going over everything.

"Nope," he shook his head, standing up and switching places with Kate.

Kate slid in behind Rick and wrapped her arms around his middle. The feeling of his back pressed squarely against her chest gave her goosebumps. Rick was grinning like a mad man when he felt her arms encircle his stomach, he was going to enjoy every second of this! "Okay, so what is your right hand in control of?" Kate asked, resting her chin on his shoulder so that she could watch him do it all and to make sure that he was doing it correctly.

"Um," he mumbled, thinking over everything that she had just told him. "It- it, uh..."

Kate smirked as she placed her hands above Rick's and showed him what to do. "Your right hand controls both the throttle and the front brakes. Now, delicately twist the throttle," she instructed, her hand leading his as he did as he was told. "A little twist goes a long way, so take it easy."

Rick nodded, absorbing everything she was telling him. Kate pulled back her hand and allowed him to rev the engine himself. A loud hum vibrated beneath them as the motorcycle's engine came to life. "On the left is the clutch," Kate stated, putting her left hand over Rick's. "The clutch is a way to connect and disconnect the engine from the transmission. When you squeeze the clutch lever, you're effectively putting the bike in neutral."

"O- okay," Rick stuttered.

Kate demonstrated by squeezing on the clutch. "When you let go, you're enabling the engine to turn the transmission. Just think of it as a dimmer switch rather than an on-off switch and you'll be able to engage gears much more smoothly."

Rick squeezed the clutch on his own, mentally taking note of what it is. "Where are the gears?" He asked, not seeing them.

Kate smiled, "I was getting to that."

"Oh, sorry," he replied.

"That's okay. Now," she motioned down to the left by their feet. "The gears are right here. You only need to tap it with your foot, okay?"

"Okay."

"That pretty much covers everything," Kate grinned, placing her arms back around his waist. "You ready to go?"

Rick glanced behind him, an eyebrow raised. "Is that even a question? Of course I'm ready!"

She chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Alright. Squeeze the clutch lever, press the shifter down to first gear, and release the clutch slowly."

The writer took a deep breath before doing as she said. Soon, the two were riding casually down the road, swerving a bit here and there as Rick got used to maneuvering the heavy machine. Kate squeezed his stomach as she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "You're doing it," she mumbled in his ear, proud of him.

"I'm doing it!" He cheered, a smile donning his lips as he maintained control of the bike. "I'm actually doing it!"

Kate couldn't help but chuckle at his child-like excitement as he struggled turning the bike around. He was picking it up rather fast and his confidence grew as they started to pick up speed, heading back the way they came. "Rick?" Kate questioned, confused on why they were gaining speed. "Slow down!"

She reached up and pressed on the brakes slowly, causing the bike to lose its acceleration and come to a stop in the middle of the road. _"Aww..."_ he whined, slouching his shoulders. "Why'd you do that? I was just getting the hang of it."

"Because," Kate started. "You need more practice before going that fast. I don't want either of us getting hurt." She got up off the bike and stretched her back, arms raised in the air.

"Oh, ye of little faith," he chided, his feet planted firmly on either side of the motorcycle to keep it balanced. An idea sprang in his head, it was a dumb idea but it was extremely tempting. Rick twisted on the throttle, propelling the bike forward with a large lurch.

Kate's heart beat wildly in her chest as she quickly ran after him. _"Rick!"_ Gaining on the motorcycle, Kate took a leap of faith and jumped on the back, her hands finding the brakes and slowing them down. The two came to halt and Rick let out a laugh.

"Oh, that was _awesome!_" He exclaimed, a giant smile on his lips. But that smile quickly faded when he turned around and saw Kate's expression.

She growled and smacked him several times on the arm. "Rick, I love you, but you can be a real idiot sometimes."

"I'm sorry," he apologized, reaching behind him and placing his hands on her thighs. "I just wanted to try it on my own. It was stupid, I know."

Kate let out a snort. "Very stupid," she echoed, earning a small laugh from Rick. "Don't do it again, okay?" He nodded.

After a minute of silence, Kate spoke up. "You want to go get some lunch, Evel Knievel? I know a little diner not far from here that has the best burgers and shakes."

Rick smiled, squeezing her thighs. "Better than Remy's?"

"No, but it is definitely a close second," she smiled.

"I am alright with that. Can I drive?" Rick asked just for the heck of it.

She shook her head and let out a laugh. "I think you already know the answer to that one." The two switched places, Kate being in control of the motorcycle once again.

He shrugged, "y=Yeah, I know. But it was worth a shot. Besides, I enjoy watching you be in control of this bad boy. You having power over it is...Mmm, _sexy_." He placed a kiss on her cheek, tasting her skin.

Kate smiled, "Let's just go eat some lunch, okay?" He smugly nodded, holding onto her as she pulled off down the road, heading for the diner.

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><p><strong>And there you go! :)<strong>

**I hope y'all liked it! I know it's not that long but I am just so busy. I'll be able to update on a regular basis here shortly though. Summer is almost here! :) Thank you guys for sticking with me and for being patient. I really appreciate it!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


	25. Chapter 25

**Hello dear readers!**

**Thank you for all of your love and support through out this story! I am sad to say that this is the last chapter of _Shop Til You Drop_ :( I just think that it's time to start a new story. It has been such a blast going on this journey with you guys! I am blown away by how much y'all liked it! I couldn't ask for better readers!**

**But this is not the end! lol. I've been considering doing a sequel to my fic _Richard Castle's Guide to Camping_ (I know y'all have been asking me to do one, so keep an eye out for it in the near future) I have a few other little one-shots that I'm considering, but I also want to know what y'all would like to see. Just let me know & I'll see what I can do! :)**

**Disclaimer: _Castle_ is not mine :/**

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><p><strong>[Chapter 25]<strong>

"Here we are," Kate grunted, turning the motorcycle off, kicking the kick stand up, and taking her helmet off.

Rick took off his helmet and stood up, looking at the small diner. "How did you know about this place?" He asked, setting the helmet on the back of the bike and running his fingers through his hair.

Kate mimicked him and placed her helmet on the bike, leading the way inside. "My parents took me here whenever we went to the cabin over the summer. It's been about fifteen years since I was here last," she mused, grabbing a stool at the counter. "I'm surprised it's still up and running actually. The Davis' own it, they're old family friends."

Rick sat next to her, spinning a bit on the red stool as he sat down. "It reminds me a bit of an old fashioned Remy's..."

"Yeah, I guess it does," she chuckled. The memories flooding back as she looked around.

"Katie? Katie Beckett is that really you?" An older man in an dirty apron asked as he rounded the counter and gave Kate a bone crushing hug. "I haven't seen you ages, kiddo!"

She chuckled, returning the hug with the same amount of force, if not more. "It's me, Mr. Davis! How has business been?"

"Swell, just swell," he grinned. "My, my, my. You've certainly grown up. Last time I saw you, you were about this tall," Mr. Davis motioned with a raise of his hand as he compared it to his own height.

"It has been a long time," Kate agreed. "Oh, where are my manners? I would like you to meet Rick Castle, my boyfriend."

Rick stuck out his hand, shaking hands with the older man. "A pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Wait, Rick Castle as in Rick Castle the author?" Mr. Davis asked, returning the handshake.

"On my better days," he shrugged, laughing a bit.

Mr. Davis was grinning like no other, his smile reached his eyes. "Becky will flip out when she finds out you're here." At that, he yelled out toward double doors that must have led to the kitchen. "Becky! Would you please come here for a minute?" Mr. Davis turned back to Rick and Kate. "The misses and I have both read your books, Mr. Castle. We're huge fans!"

"It's always a pleasure meeting fans."

Just then a woman with graying hair emerged from the double doors, she also had on an apron. "What is it, Jimmy?" Upon seeing Kate and Rick, she froze. "Katie?"

Kate smiled, "Hi, Mrs. Davis."

The older woman made it over to the counter and gave Kate a huge hug. "It's so good to see you, dear. You look absolutely gorgeous."

"Thank you." A blush warming her cheeks.

Jimmy placed an arm around Becky's shoulders. "And this is Katie's boyfriend, Rick Castle."

At her husband's words, Becky's jaw dropped. "The author?"

"The one and the same. It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Davis." Rick stuck a hand out and shook her hand.

"Please call me Becky," she offered, grinning like no other. She fanned herself, trying to calm down. It wasn't every day that you get to meet your favorite author. "So what brings you two here?"

Kate gave Rick a knowing look and smiled at the older couple. "Well, I had today off so I thought it be fun to take Rick for a little ride down memory lane." As Kate said all this she placed a hand on Rick's knee and squeezed it.

"Oh," Jimmy sighed. "I thought it was because you wanted to see us. I see how it is." He frowned, earning a slap on the arm from his wife. Jimmy gasped in pain, acting like he was going to lose his arm. He was definitely dramatic.

"You're such a drama queen sometimes. Don't mind him, Rick, he thinks he's funny," Becky informed the writer while shooting daggers at her husband, who just smiled at Rick.

"So," Jimmy began, clapping his hands once together before placing them on his hips. "What can we get you two lovebirds for lunch?"

Kate and Rick gave their orders, Jimmy heading to the back to fix their burgers. Becky stayed behind, hopping up on a stool and chatting with Rick and Kate. Becky shared stories of when Kate was a little girl and how she'd come in with her parents every so often. Rick was beaming as he listened, excited to hear how rambunctious and adventurous Kate was when she was younger.

Jimmy returned some time later, holding two plates with their burgers on them; Rick had gotten some fries, too. "Here you go," Jimmy smiled, setting them down in front of Rick and Kate.

Rick rubbed his hands together before diving in. "Oh, this is delicious!" He complimented, a low moan rumbling in his throat.

Kate shook her head and smiled at him as she began to eat her own burger. A hand on Kate's shoulder tore her attention away from her food. "We'll just leave you two alone," Becky said, standing up and motioning to her husband to follow her.

Jimmy nodded and followed his wife, but not before telling Rick and Kate, "And don't worry about paying for anything, it's all on the house."

"Oh, uh...th- thanks, Jimmy! We appreciate it!" Rick called.

Once the older couple reached the back of the diner, they observed the younger couple from afar. "They're so cute together," Becky smiled.

Jimmy put his arm around Becky's shoulders. "They remind me a bit of Jim and Johanna."

"Yeah they do," she agreed as they watched Kate press a kiss to Rick's cheek after he fed her a fry.

"Let's give them some privacy, huh?" Jimmy asked. Becky nodded as they headed back into the kitchen, leaving Kate and Rick alone.

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><p>Rick and Kate finished theirs meals, bidding goodbye to Jimmy and Becky and thanking them for their generosity.<p>

"Kate?" Rick asked as they walked outside to her Harley.

"Hmm?"

He grabbed her by the hand, stopping her and turning her around to face him. Rick took her hands in his larger ones, squeezing them. "Thank you for bringing me here, Kate. I feel even closer to you now that I've been here, somewhere you used to come with your parents. And that means everything to me. I feel honored that you shared this place with me and I-"

He was cut short by Kate's lips crashing down on his in a fierce kiss. Her hands cupped his cheeks, holding him still as she attacked his mouth. Rick returned the kiss with as much love and adoration as Kate. Eventually, they had to break apart with the need for oxygen rising.

"Wh-what was that for?" Rick questioned, breathless. "Not that I'm complaining," he added with a laugh.

Kate's brown-green eyes never strayed from his, her hands were still on either side of his face. She gently swiped her thumb across his cheeks. "For being you. For loving me and accepting me with all of my flaws. You never gave up on me, Rick and I am so glad you didn't because I can't imagine my life without you in it. I have a lot of fond memories here from when I was little and there is nobody else I'd rather share it with."

Rick's heart was swelling at her words. "God. I love you, Kate. And I don't want to ever let you go. I'm sorry to tell you, sweetheart, but you're stuck with me for a long time."

"Darn, I was already planning an escape route. Foiled again," she joked, smiling up at Rick. Rick laughed before he kissed her, his lips ghosting over hers in a tender kiss. Kate smiled into their kiss, her love pouring out with every swipe of her lips across his. "I love you, too, Rick," she mumbled against his mouth.

After they broke apart the couple got on the bike and headed back to the city. Rick hugged Kate close to him, his hands splayed across her stomach. It was a pretty quiet ride neither feeling the need to talk; they just enjoyed being with the other. They reached the city in record time, hitting all of the afternoon traffic.

"Hey, Rick?" Kate asked as they came up to a red light, her feet resting on the ground to keep the bike balanced.

Rick kissed her on the cheek. "Yes, beautiful?"

She smiled at that. "Can we stop by the store? I have some things to pick up."

"Of course we can," he smiled. "Going back to where it all started, huh? I like that," Rick mused, peppering her cheek and neck with kisses. "Can I ride the shopping cart again?" He asked hopeful and giddy.

Kate grinned, biting her lip. "Nice try, but we won't be having any more races with the carts. Sorry. No matter how fun it was."

Rick pouted, "Fine."

"Stop pouting," Kate chided. She took a deep breath, seeing that he was still upset. "Alright, here's the deal. If you behave I'll get you some candy, okay? That means no riding on the shopping cart. Deal?"

Rick's frown left his lips and was replaced by a huge grin. "Deal!"

"You're such a child sometimes," Kate chuckled with a shake of her head.

"But you still love me..."

"That I do. That I do." The light turned green and she twisted the throttle. "Hold on, stud. Here we go!" They pulled up to the grocery store ten minutes later, shutting off the bike and walking hand-in-hand inside. Kate grabbed a shopping cart, "You ready to shop til you drop, Ricky?"

The writer grinned, keeping in stride with the detective. "I was born ready, Kate."

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><p><strong>And there you go! :)<strong>

**I am so so thankful that y'all liked it! As a writer, that is all I can ask for. Please leave a review with your thoughts and comments. ****Until next time!**

**Follow me on Twitter at KB_RC23 and Follow me on Tumblr at KB-RC23**


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